The fire danger level on Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District-protected land will increase to moderate Thursday, June 11th, at 12:01 a.m.
Lands affected by this declaration include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level will remain at one.
Despite recent cooler days, vegetation continues to dry, and the increasing heat will accelerate that drying as temperatures climb toward the 100 degree mark. This combination of ongoing drying and rising heat is increasing fire danger and prompting the shift to moderate on Thursday.
Public fire restrictions will take effect on that date. Open fires will be prohibited, and the use of chainsaws, the cutting, grinding, and welding of metal, and the mowing of dead or dried grass with power-driven equipment will not be permitted between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
Motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, will be allowed only on improved roads free of flammable vegetation. Any other spark-emitting internal combustion engine use is not allowed between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. during moderate fire danger.
There will be no debris burning, no fireworks on or within one eighth of a mile of ODF-protected land, and the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, is prohibited.
Following fire season regulations helps to decrease the number of human-caused fires, as these activities are known to create sparks and start fires. For more information about the regulations, call the Grants Pass Unit at (541) 474-3152, or the Medford Unit at (541) 664-3328.
