Mount Emily Recreation Area Enforcing Seasonal Fire Restrictions
By Garrett Christensen on Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
UNION COUNTY – The state, county and plenty of individual townships are enforcing their own fire restrictions. The Mount Emily Recreation Area (MERA) is no exception. The unique MERA fire restrictions and fire safety requirements, as provided by Union County, are as follows:
PROHIBITED
- All open debris burning and the use of burn barrels.
- Open fires, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires, and warming fires, except at designated locations.
- Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
- Propane fire pits are allowed if they are self-contained and 3 feet away from any flammable fuels with a maximum flame height of 2 feet.
- Non-industrial Chainsaw use is prohibited Noon — 8 PM.
- Non-industrial chainsaw use is allowed at all other hours if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating saw: one shovel or other firefighting tool, and one 8 ounce or larger fire extinguisher or 1 gallon of water. In addition, a fire watch is required at least one hour following the end of chainsaw use.
- Electric Chainsaws are allowed all day.
- Use of fireworks.
- Use of exploding targets.
- Use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base.
- Any electric fence controller in use shall be: 1) Listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and 2) Operated in compliance with manufacturer’s instructions.
- Smoking while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, or at a cleared area free of flammable vegetation.
- Mowing of dried or cured grass with power driven equipment is prohibited Noon — 8 PM, except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
- Electric string trimmers are allowed all day.
- Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is prohibited Noon – 8 PM. Cutting, grinding, and welding of metal is permitted at all other hours, if conducted in a 10-foot area cleared of flammable vegetation, shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 1⁄2 pound or larger fire extinguisher.
- Use of sky lanterns throughout the year in Oregon.
IN ADDITION:
- Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required for any vehicle/UTV/ATV traveling on unimproved roadways, where flammable vegetation exists on roadway; shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 1⁄2 pound or larger fire extinguisher.
