Northeast Oregon Dept. Forestry Declares Fire Season 2024

By on Wednesday, June 19th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News

LA GRANDE – (Release from the Oregon Department of Forestry) A warming and drying trend in the forecast has prompted Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to begin fire season on private forest lands in northeast Oregon. ODF is seeing fire danger increasing across the Northeast Oregon District as a whole.

FIRE SEASON will begin at 12:01 a.m., Saturday, June 22nd for forest and rangelands protected by ODF Northeast Oregon District.  “Early in the fire season, it’s important to know what fire restrictions are in effect.  We really want to encourage folks to make sure they are getting out regularly and checking any place where slash or debris piles were burned late last winter and this spring.  Those areas can hold heat for a long time and cause fires to rekindle months later.”  Said Matt Howard, District Forester. 

The fire season declaration places fire prevention restrictions on landowners and the public. Additionally, fire prevention regulations on industrial logging and forest management activities are put into place.  Lands affected include private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands in Union, Baker, Wallowa, and Umatilla counties along with small portions of Malheur, Morrow, and Grant counties within the Northeast Oregon Forest Protection District.  This area encompasses approximately 2 million acres of protected lands.  ODF encourages landowners and the public to help prevent accidental ignitions by taking extra precautions while recreating or working, it can make a difference.

For information on restrictions across the Northeast Oregon District, dial: (541) 975-3027 or visit www.bmidc.org, for current information on fire restrictions.

During Fire Season:

  • Debris burning is by permit only. To obtain a burn permit for a debris pile or burn barrel, please call your local ODF office.
    • Baker City Sub-Unit: (541) 523-5831
    • La Grande Unit: (541) 963-3168
    • Pendleton Unit: (541) 276-3491
    • Wallowa Unit: (541) 886-2881
  • The use of exploding targets, tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base is prohibited.
  • Logging and other industrial operations must meet requirements for fire prevention, such as fire tools, water supply, and watchman service when those operations are occurring on lands protected by ODF.  Contact your local Stewardship Forester at any NEO District office for more information.
  • Campfires must be DEAD OUT!  Recreationists are reminded that campfires need to be attended and fully extinguished before being left.
    • Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required; shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher and a fire watch at least one hour after extinguishing.  Get permission from the landowner prior to starting a campfire.
  • The use of Sky Lanterns is always illegal in Oregon.

To report a fire, dial 9-1-1.

Make sure you know the fire restrictions before you head out.  Check with your local Forest Service office for fire regulations on National Forest land, or BLM office for lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management. Information on Public-Use Restrictions on the Oregon Department of Forestry, Umatilla National Forest and Wallowa-Whitman National Forest can be found at http://bmidc.org/index.shtml under Current Information: Fire Restrictions.

Elkhorn Media Group