Fire season begins June 1st in ODF’s John Day Unit
By Logan Bagett on Friday, May 28th, 2021 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
JOHN DAY – (Release from the Oregon Department of Forestry)
Beginning June 1, 2021 the John Day Unit will join The Dalles and Prineville units of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District in implementing fire season. Cooler temperatures and precipitation over the last few weeks has been a welcome reprieve from the rising fire danger observed this spring. However, warm temperatures and windy conditions in the forecast will quickly dry wildland fuels bringing the return of unseasonably high wildfire danger across the area.
Human caused fires for 2021 within ODF’s Central Oregon District are more than double the ten-year-average for fire starts year-to-date. Thirty-one fires have burned 243 acres of ODF protected lands already this year. On average the District responds to 136 fires each year; 66 lightning starts and 70 human ignitions.
Fire Season Regulations
The following acts are prohibited during fire season in accordance with ORS 477.510 and ORS 477.512:
· Smoking while working in or traveling through any operation area.
· The use of fuse and caps for blasting, unless approval is granted by the forester.
· The discharge of an exploding target inside the district or within one-eighth mile of the district.
· The discharge of tracer ammunition on land that is within the district or within one-eighth mile of the district, or when discharged, crosses above land that is within the district or within one-eighth mile of the district.
Operators should refer to www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/Documents/fire-season-requirements-for-industrial-operations.pdf for information specific to industrial operations during fire season, or call their local ODF Office.
John Day Unit—Grant, Wheeler, Morrow, Harney, & Gilliam Counties (541)575-1139
· Burning of logging slash and larger debris piles is not currently allowed in the John Day Unit.
· Burning yard debris and burn barrels is no longer permitted on lands protected by ODF.
Prineville Unit-Crook, Jefferson, and Deschutes Counties (541)447-5658
· Burning of logging slash is not allowed at this time.
· Contact the local fire departments to obtain burn permits for burning yard debris where allowed.
The Dalles Unit-Wasco and Hood River Counties (541)296-4626
· IFPL 1 in effect for MH-1(east of Hwy 35 in Hood River and Wasco counties) and MH-4 (west of Hwy 35 in Hood River County)
· Burn ban in effect for Hood River and Wasco counties begins June 1, 2021.
For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.
