The Oregon Department of Forestry is raising the fire danger level to "high" and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) to "2" in Josephine and Jackson counties on Wednesday.
ODF officials said the increase is due to consistent hot temperatures and dry vegetation plus the threat of thunderstorms and lightning-caused fire potential. This change affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county and BLM lands in the two-county region.
The primary difference between current fire prevention restrictions and those that start Wednesday affects the public use of power-driven equipment such as chainsaws, mowers, weed-eaters and more. The use of power-driven equipment and other spark-emitting equipment such as wood splitters and generators will be prohibited between the hours of 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. This does not apply to mowing green lawns.
All other fire prevention regulations will remain in effect including no outdoor debris burning, no fireworks on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected land, and no exploding targets, tracer ammunition or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base.
Campfires are allowed only in designated campgrounds. Portable stoves or fire pits using liquefied or bottled fuels may be used in other locations that are clear of dry vegetation at all times. Motorized vehicles -- including motorcycles and ATVs -- are allowed only on improved roads. One shovel and one gallon of water or one 2.5-pound or larger fire extinguisher are required while traveling.
Under IFPL 2 -- which is known as a "limited shutdown" -- certain operations may occur after 8 p.m. and up until 1 p.m. daily. This includes power saws, feller bunchers, cable yarding, blasting, and welding, cutting or grinding of metal.
For more information on current fire restrictions, please visit "swofire.com."
