News Release from Oregon Dept. of Forestry
Posted on FlashAlert: July 28th, 2016 11:06 PM
On Friday, July 29, the Oregon Department of Forestry’s West Oregon District will increase restrictions on forest activities due to rising fire danger. The “Regulated-Use” closure is specifically geared to reduce the chance of wildfires starting from public activities in forested areas. The restrictions include the following activities:
– Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads.
– Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except at designated locations. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
– Chainsaw use is prohibited.
– Use of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, is prohibited, except on improved roads or for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
– 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 operational 2-?1/2 lb. or larger fire extinguisher.
– Use of fireworks is prohibited.
– Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited.
– Mowing of dried and cured grass with power-driven equipment is prohibited between the hours of 1 p.m. and 8 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
Fire season was declared on the West Oregon District on July 5. This declaration primarily affects forest operations, such as logging sites, by requiring firefighting equipment on site and the use of precautionary measures against fire. The declaration of fire season also prohibits the use of tracer ammunition, exploding targets and sky lanterns on forestland protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry.
The “Regulated-Use” closure extends restrictions and preventative measures to the public on all private and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Benton, Lincoln, Polk and southern Yamhill counties.
As the summer progresses, conditions in the forest will get warmer and drier, pushing the fire danger up. The intent of the Regulated-Use closure is to limit some of the potential ignition sources of forest fires. Human activities continue to be the top cause of forest fires.
West Oregon District’s neighboring areas are also in Regulated-Use Restrictions.
For further information on the public use restrictions, please do not hesitate to contact the Oregon Department of Forestry during normal business hours.
Benton County: Philomath Office — 541-929-3266
Lincoln County: Toledo Office — 541-336-2273
Polk County or Yamhill County: Dallas Office — 503-934-8146
