Blue Mt. & Prairie City Ranger Districts increase fire danger
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, June 29th, 2022 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
JOHN DAY & PRAIRIE CITY – (Press Release provided by the Malheur National Forest)
The Blue Mountain and Prairie City Ranger Districts are increasing their Fire Danger Level to Moderate. With summer weather conditions upon us, Forest officials urge the public to use caution when recreating outdoors this holiday weekend.
When the fire danger is “moderate” it means that fires can start from most accidental causes. If a fire does start in an open, dry grassland, it will burn and spread quickly on windy days. The cool wet spring across much of the northwestern United States has created a considerable increase in cheatgrass often exceeding 200 percent of normal. As a result, the potential for grass driven wildfires, is expected to be above average. As we head into the start of fire season in the Pacific Northwest, Deputy Fire Staff Eric Miller would like to remind visitors to recreate responsibly this weekend, make sure all campfires are confined in a fire ring and extinguished before leaving camp. With this is mind, the Malheur National Forest reminds you that fireworks are prohibited on all national forest lands.
