The Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District will officially declare the start of fire season on Friday, May 15, at 12:01 a.m.
According to ODF, the fire danger level will be “Low” (green) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be '1'. Lands affected by this declaration include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city, and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.
Snowpack across the state and local landscape is minimal, and drought conditions across both counties are contributing to dry vegetation and an increased risk for fires to start and spread earlier in the year.
Fire risk and behavior will naturally increase as conditions continue to trend toward warmer summer-like weather. The beginning of fire season and Low fire danger brings regulations: No debris burning, and no fireworks on or within 1/8 of a mile of ODF-protected land.
Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, are prohibited, and campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds, on BLM land, and on private land with the landowner’s permission.
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Season regulations, call the Grants Pass ODF unit at 541-474-3152, or the Medford Unit at 541-664-3328.
