Fire season on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in Jackson and Josephine counties begins Friday, June 19. The fire danger level will be “moderate” (blue) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be 1 (one). State of Oregon fire season regulations apply to 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management lands in both counties.
Starting Friday, the open burning of debris will no longer be allowed. This includes debris piles, ditch burning and any form of backyard burning. Burn barrels, however, will be allowed until June 30, but only with a permit from ODF and a permit from the local structural fire protection district (if required). To obtain an ODF burn barrel permit, visit the Southwest Oregon District’s unit offices in Medford and Grants Pass.
Fireworks use on ODF-protected forestlands will also be prohibited.
In the Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River, between Grave Creek and Marial, the following additional restrictions will be in effect:
- Smoking will be prohibited while traveling, except in boats on the water, and on vegetation-free sand or gravel bars that lie between water and high water marks.
- Open fires will be prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires. However, campfires built in fire pans or on fire blankets will be allowed on vegetation-free sand or gravel bars that lie between water and high water marks. All ashes and charcoal must be carried out.
- Travelers will be required to have a shovel and a one-gallon or larger bucket.
For information about fire restrictions in all parts of the Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River, contact the Smullin Visitor Center located at the Rand National Historic Site at (541) 479-3735 or your local Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest office.
Under IFPL 1, commercial operations, such as timber harvesting, conducted on forestlands will be required to have fire suppression equipment on the job site at all times, and a watchman must be provided.
