Public Restricts Implemented on ODF Protected Lands
By Paul Hall on Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – (Information provided by Oregon Department of Forestry) Oregon Department of Forestry’s (ODF) Northeast Oregon District will implement Regulated Use Closure Wednesday, June 23, 2021, at 12:01 a.m. These public use restrictions are intended to reduce human caused wildfires by limiting high risk activities. Lands affected by this closure include lands protected by ODF’s Northeast Oregon District in Malheur, Baker, Wallowa, Union, Morrow, Grant, and Umatilla counties.
The following restrictions are included in the closure:
• Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water or at a cleared area free of flammable vegetation.
• Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except at designated locations. Designated locations within the Regulated Use Closure area are available at each ODF office. Designated locations within the Oregon State Parks system include but are not limited to: Emigrant Springs, Ukiah Dale, Catherine Creek, Hilgard Junction, Red Bridge, Wallowa Lake, Minam and Unity Lake.
• Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed. Open fires may be allowed by waiver through a written order, if, in the judgement of the forester, conditions so warrant.
• Non-Industrial use of chain saws is prohibited between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Chain saw use is permitted at all other hours, if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating saw: one axe, one shovel, and one 8 ounce or larger fire extinguisher. In addition, a fire watch is required at least one hour following the use of each saw.
• Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required while traveling, except on state highways, county roads and driveways: one shovel and one gallon of water or one 2½ pound or larger fire extinguisher. • Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited, between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is permitted at all other hours, if conducted in a cleared area and if a water supply is present.
• The mowing of dry, cured grass with power driven equipment is prohibited between the hours of 12:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
• Any electric fence controller in use shall be: 1) Listed be 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.
• Use of fireworks is prohibited.
Additionally, during fire season debris burning is prohibited as is the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition.
ODF’s Northeast Oregon District is in Fire Season. Restrictions can be found at
http://bmidc.org/restrictions.shtml. Fire conditions are HIGH throughout the region. Please use caution to help prevent forest fires. Wildland fuels are unseasonably dry and firefighters are experiencing very active fire behavior.
Contact the Oregon Department of Forestry-Northeast Oregon Fire Prevention Information Line for more information on ODF’s Public Use Restrictions: (541) 975-3027 To report a fire, contact: Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch (541) 963-7171 Or, call 9-1-1.
