Fire danger level set to increase on ODF-protected lands

Central Point, Ore. – Effective Monday, the fire danger level on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands increases to “extreme.”

At 2:01 a.m on July 31, 1.8 million acres of private, state, county and Bureau of Land Management lands will be subject to new fire prevention restrictions.

ODF’s Southwest Oregon District provided the following adjusted regulations:

The use of power saws is prohibited.
The cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited.
The mowing of dry or dead grass is prohibited.
The operation of any other spark-emitting internal combustion engine not specifically mentioned above is prohibited.

The following fire prevention regulations are currently in effect and will remain in effect until the fire danger level drops significantly:

Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and designated locations.
Debris burning is prohibited.
Burn barrel use is prohibited.
Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except in approved fire rings at designated campgrounds. In other locations, portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
Motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, may only be used on improved roads free of flammable vegetation, except when used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
Fireworks are prohibited.
Any electric fence controller in use shall be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and operated in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
The use of exploding targets is prohibited.
The use of tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base is prohibited.
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 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher. All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be equipped with one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher.