Small Town News

State Forestry Department Suspends Regulated-Use Closure on Private Lands in Northeast Oregon

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Rain and cooler temperatures have reduced fire danger, allowing suspension of the Regulated-Use Closure as of 1:00 a.m. on September 10, 2010. The regulated closure on private land was suspended for forestlands protected by the Oregon Depart-ment of Forestry Northeast Oregon District. This in-cludes private, state, county, municipal and tribal lands in the following counties: Union, Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla and small portions of Grant, Malheur and Morrow counties.

However, unseasonable September weather may give a false sense of security, which can result in a higher occurrence of human-caused fires. It is still important to practice fire prevention, especially as it relates to burning or camp-fires.

Note that Fire season is still in effect for the Oregon Department of Forestry Northeast Oregon District.

Fire season requirements include:

Burning permits are required on all private forest-land within the Northeast Oregon Forest Protection District for the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) within Union, Baker, Wallowa, Umatilla, Malheur, and portions of Morrow and Grant Counties. Contact your local ODF office in La Grande, Baker City, Wallowa, or Pendleton to acquire a burning permit.

Logging and other industrial operations must meet requirements for fire prevention, such as fire tools, water supply, and watchman service when those operations are occurring on private lands protected by ODF. Contact your local Stewardship Forester at any local ODF office for more information.

Campfires must be DEAD OUT! Do not leave fires unattended. Get permission from the landowner before having a campfire.

Joe Hessel, Baker City Assistant Unit Forester, reminds the public "to be vigilant about putting their fires out prior to leaving camp. Although it is cool and damp, we still want to be attentive to changing fire conditions."

Do not leave any open burning unattended, including small warming fires. Make sure any open burning or campfire is completely out before leaving it. Have water and a shovel nearby. When practicing campfire safety, build your campfire on bare, level ground away from combustible materials and keep the fire small. Stay with your fire at all times. Before leaving, drown the fire with water, stirring with a shovel until all embers are soaking wet and cold to the touch. Use these practices when disposing of ash from woodstoves and barbecues, as well.

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: 541-963-3168

Baker City: 541-523-5831

Wallowa: 541-886-2881

Pendleton: 541-276-3491 More information can be

Sfound at the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center website http://bmidc.org/ index.shtml. Look under fire restrictions.



Copyright 2010 Hells Canyon Journal, Halfway, Oregon. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 Hells Canyon Journal Halfway, Oregon. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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