As of 12:01 am, October 2, 2014, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) has modified the fire prevention related Regulated-Use Closure which is in place on private forestlands protected by the Northeast Oregon District. This includes private, state, county, municipal and tribal lands in the following counties: Union, Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla, and small portions of Grant, Malheur, and Morrow Counties.
Rain and cooler temperatures have moderated the fire danger, allowing the district to remove most of the restrictions implemented in July. The reduction in restrictions is intended to allow people to recreate in the woods and participate in normal fall activities. Cooler weather may give a false sense of security, which frequently results in a higher occurrence of human-caused fires.
Forecasted warmer temperatures and dry conditions combined with an increase in activity in the woods still cause concern for fire managers that campfires could be left unattended and spread to wildland fuels. Due to these concerns, campfires and warming fires will still be prohibited on lands protected by the Northeast Oregon District, except in designated locations. All other open fires on ODF-protected lands require a burn permit, contact your local office for information.
Limiting human-caused fires within the Northeast Oregon District is the objective of the closure, which includes the following restrictions:
– 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 includes but is not limited to the following Oregon State Parks: 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.
Year-to-date fire information for lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Northeast Oregon District:
– Lightning-caused: 66 fires
– Acres burned: 247
– Human caused: 28 fires
– Acres burned: 483
Note that when traveling from private land onto federal land, fire restrictions may change. Please check restrictions before conducting activities in the outdoors.
To report a fire, call the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center at 541-963-7171, or 911.
For further information, contact your local Oregon Department of Forestry office:
La Grande Unit 541-963-3168
Baker City Sub-Unit 541-523-5831
Wallowa Unit 541-886-2881
Pendleton Unit 541-276-3491
More information can be found at the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center website http://bmidc.org/index.shtml. Look under fire restrictions.
Contact Info:
Christie Shaw
541-886-2881 or 541-263-0661
Christie.shaw@odf.state.or.us
Jamie Knight
541-963-0195 or 541-786-0501
jknight@odf.state.or.us
