Fire season starts on ODF-protected lands in Jackson & Josephine Counties

CENTRAL POINT, Ore. – Fire season has started on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in southwest Oregon.

ODF said the agency’s 2023 fire season started on Thursday, June 1. The fire danger level starts at “Low” and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be 1.

The lands affected include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city, and Bureau of Land Management forestland in Jackson and Josephine Counties.

ODF’s Southwest Oregon District provided the following list of activities that are prohibited starting Thursday:

· No debris burning, including piles and debris burned in burn barrels.

· No fireworks on or within 1/8 of a mile of forestland.

· Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, are prohibited.

· Campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds, and on private land with the landowner’s permission. Portable stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels may be used as well.

· Smoking while traveling will only be allowed in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other specifically designated locations.

· Any electric fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, and be installed and used in compliance with the fence controller’s instructions for fire safe operation.

Under IFPL I (one) – fire season requirements are in effect. In addition to the following:

· A Firewatch is required at this and all higher levels unless otherwise waived.

For more information, visit http://www.swofire.com