LAKEVIEW, Ore. – Fire managers are preparing to declare fire season in Klamath and Lake counties starting Friday, June 16.
South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership says recent thunderstorms and heavy rains helped fire resources in the area with fire suppression efforts during the start of the 2023 fire season. With the predicted warmer temperatures and winds, starting a fire that can grow several acres in minutes is much more likely.
Fire managers will continue to monitor current conditions over the next few weeks and reevaluate the fire danger as needed.
The Forest Service says abandoned campfires are the leading source of human-caused wildfires on public lands. Escaped debris burning remains the largest source of human-caused fires on private land.
With the declaration of fire season, all burning in Lake and Klamath counties is prohibited without a permit. Declaring fire season further prohibits the release of sky lanterns, the discharge of exploding targets, or the discharge of tracer ammo.
The Forest Service says fire danger level will be low and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be I.
Low fire danger means intense heat sources like lightning may start small fires. Fires in open cured grass may burn freely for a few hours after rain, but forest fires are expected to spread slowly by creeping and smoldering.
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