Burns Interagency Fire Zone danger rating increases
By Mindy Gould on Monday, July 15th, 2024 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
HARNEY COUNTY(Released by Burns Interagency Fire Zone)-Effective immediately, all of Burns Interagency Fire Zone is moving to a fire danger rating of EXTREME and Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) IV (4). This includes public lands managed by Burns District Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Emigrant Creek Ranger District of the Malheur National Forest.
The BLM side will maintain their current public use restrictions/fire prevention orders that went into effect on July 10th.
Emigrant Creek is now in Phase C of public use restrictions.
PHASE C:
Pursuant to 36 CFR, Sec. 261.50(a) and (b), the following acts are prohibited on all National Forest System Lands within the Malheur National Forest, in the State of Oregon.
- Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal briquette or stove fire. 36 CFR § 261.52(a). Fire fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels are allowed when flammable vegetation is cleared a minimum 3 feet away from open flame.
- Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building. 36 CFR § 261.52(d).
- Operating a chainsaw or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine. 36 CFR § 261.52(h).
- Generators are allowed when located in a location cleared of flammable material in a 10’ diameter and approved spark arrestor.
- Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained and in effective working order in accordance with U.S. Forest Service Standard 5100-1. 36 CFR § 261.52(j).
- Possess or use a vehicle off National Forest System roads. 36 CFR § 261.56
- Except when parking in an area devoid of vegetation within 10 feet of the roadway.
- Possessing, discharging, or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device. 36 CFR § 261.52(f).
- Using an explosive. 36 CFR § 261.52(b).
When fire danger is EXTREME: Fires under extreme conditions start quickly, spread furiously and burn intensely. All fires are potentially serious. Development into high intensity burning will usually be faster and occur from smaller fires than in the high danger class.
Industrial Fire Precaution Levels: In the Pacific Northwest, Oregon Dept of Forestry (West of the Cascades), US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian Affairs all use the same four-level industrial regulation system during fire season (April 1-October 31). This system, which helps prevent wildfires by regulating work in the woods, is know as the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) system.
Below are the levels and what they mean:
- Level I: Closed Fire Season-fire equipment and firewatch service is required.
- Level II: Partial Hoot-owl-limits certain activities to between the hours of 8pm and 1pm.
- Level III: Partial Shutdown-prohibits some activities altogether and limits other activities between the hours of 8pm and 1pm.
- Level IV: General Shutdown-all operations prohibited.
