Malheur National Forest enters into PURs and IFPLs
By Mindy McKerrall on Thursday, July 9th, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
JOHN DAY, PRAIRIE CITY AND HINES-Effective 12:01am, Friday, July 10, 2026, the North Zone (Blue Mountain and Prairie City Ranger Districts) and the South Zone (Emigrant Creek Ranger District) of the Malheur National Forest will implement Stage A of Public Use Restrictions (PURs) and Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) II This change is due to increasing temperatures and drier fuels in the forest. Both Zones are currently in HIGH fire danger.
Under Stage A of Public Use Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited on all National Forest System Lands within the Malheur National Forest:
- Campfires: Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, cook stove; including solid fuel, charcoal briquette, gas/jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel or propane fire is prohibited.
- Except When contained within Forest Service-constructed fire rings in designated recreation sites:
| BLUE MOUNTAIN RANGER DISTRICT Billy Fields Campground Deerhorn Campground Deer Creek Guard Station Dixie Campground Fall Mountain Lookout Head O’Boulder Forest Camp Lower Camp Creek Campground Magone Lake Campground** Middle Fork Campground Murderers Creek Guard Station Oregon Mine Campground Parish Cabin Campground Pine Creek Horse Camp Starr Campground Wickiup Campground EMIGRANT CREEK RANGER DISTRICT Buck Spring Campground Delintment Campground Emigrant Campground(Closed) Falls Campground Idlewild Campground Joaquin Miller Horse Camp Rock Springs Camp (T.18S R.32E. Sec24) Tip Top Campground Yellowjacket Campground(Closed) PRAIRIE CITY RANGER DISTRICT Big Creek Campground Crescent Campground Elk Creek Campground Little Crane Campground Lake Creek Youth Camp Murray Campground North Fork Malheur Campground Short Creek Guard Station Slide Creek Horse Camp Strawberry Campground Trout Farm Campground |
- When the cook stove, lantern or campfire is fueled solely by gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel or propane with an on/off switch and flammable vegetation is cleared a minimum of 3-feet away from open flame on all sides
- Smoking: Prohibited
- except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a designated recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
- Internal combustion engines: Operating an internal combustion engine is prohibited
- Except: Operating chainsaws is prohibited between the hours of 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Chainsaw use is allowed at all other hours. A 1 PM shutdown is required with a 1-hour Fire Watch to follow. The operator is responsible for having a shovel, fire extinguisher, and/ or gallon of water readily accessible at all times.
- Generators must be equipped with an approved spark arrestor and used in an area that is cleared at least 10-feet in diameter of all flammable material.
- Welding: Operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame is prohibited.
- Explosives: Using explosives is prohibited.
- Use of vehicles off National Forest System roads: Prohibited off National Forest System trails and roads.
- Parking in an area devoid of vegetation within 10-feet of the roadway or minimum travel over bare mineral soil to access dispersed camping
Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) II, the following may operate only between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m.:
- power saws except at loading sites;
- cable yarding;
- blasting;
- welding or cutting of metal
When the fire danger is HIGH, fires can start easily from most causes and small fuels (such as grasses and needles) will ignite readily. Unattended campfires and brush fires are likely to escape. Fires will spread easily, with some areas of high-intensity burning on slopes or concentrated fuels. Fires can become serious and difficult to control unless they are put out while they are still small.
For additional information about Fire Danger, Public Use Restrictions, and Industrial Fire Precaution Levels, visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/malheur/fire/prevention or call our office at 541-575-3000.
