Due to recent rains and cooler weather, the Oregon Department of Forestry has reduced the fire danger from "extreme" to "high" in its Southwest District.
As of today, the fire danger level in Josephine and Jackson counties is "high" and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level has been lowered to "2." This affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county and BLM lands in the two-county area.
The primary difference between the former regulations and the new decrease to "high" fire danger affects the public use of power-driven equipment such as chainsaws, mowers, weed-eaters and more. The use of power-driven machinery, the grinding, cutting and welding of metal, and other spark-emitting equipment such as wood splitters and generators is now allowed until 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m..
All other fire prevention regulations remain in effect including no outdoor debris burning, no fireworks on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected land or on any BLM lands, no exploding targets and tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base.
Campfires are allowed only in designated campgrounds. Motorized vehicles are allowed only on improved roads. Smoking while traveling is only allowed in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other specifically designated locations.
Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2 is a limited shutdown, which is specifically for industrial or commercial operators and is separate from public fire restrictions. Power saws, feller bunchers, cable yarding, blasting, and welding, cutting or grinding of metal is allowed after 8 p.m. and before 1 p.m. daily. A two-hour fire watch is required during breaks and at the end of an operation period.
For more information on current fire season restrictions, visit "swofire.com."
