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79 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, August 4, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 13, 2004 Forest agencies report good fire readiness By PAUL FATTIG Mail Tribune With the dog days of summer breathing down his neck, Dennis Turco doesn’t need to be reminded the local fire danger is high. Nor does he have to be made aware that today marks the second anniversary of the lightning storms that sparked several huge wildfires, including the Biscuit fire which grew to half a million acres, the largest in the nation in 2002. "Two years ago this time, we were faced with resource shortages with a lot of fires burning in other parts of the West — we’re not seeing that now," said the fire prevention officer for the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District. "We also had rainfall in June that helped a lot," he said of last month’s early rainfall. Consider this: July 13, 2002 the high was 101 degrees in Medford. The rainfall for the season was 16.10 inches, well below the normal of around 17.70 inches for the date. The rainfall total as of Monday, measured by the National Weather Service at its office at the Medford airport, was 17.76 inches. Advertisement "We’re in pretty good shape," said Turco, whose department protects private, county, state and U.S. Bureau of Land Management brushlands. Two air tankers now based in Redmond are currently available to the district, he said. Moreover, two air tankers now in Alaska will be based at the Medford airport on Aug. 1 under contract to the state, he said. In addition, two "heavy" helicopters, one in Medford and another in Grants Pass, are now available, he said. Those helicopters are capable of carrying large buckets to douse hot spots. Although the district is down one 10-person ground crew because of budget cuts, it hopes to hire another 10-person crew under contract if needed, he said. "We’re looking good at this point," he said, noting the fire season has been relatively quiet thus far. Veteran firefighter M.J. Harvie, fire staff officer for the Siskiyou and Rogue River forests, is conducting readiness reviews on all the ranger districts this week. "We have the full staffing for our engine crews," she said, noting the forests have nine engines, two 10-person ground crews and five-person crews at the ready. With the season heating up, the agency will also be sending out fire prevention patrols, she said. The agency now has two helicopters on hand locally that carry rappel crews, she said, adding that it can also contract with local private firms for the use of heavy helicopters carrying large buckets. Although most of the Forest Service’s aging air tanker planes have been grounded because of safety concerns, the agency has eight military air tankers and five of its own tankers that can be used for wild fires, she said. However, those planes will be based where the need is greatest nationwide, she said. "At this point we can’t use the ODF planes on our lands," she said, although noting they can be used in areas where national forest and state-protected lands merge. "They can drop on our lands if they see it as threat to ODF lands." When the fire season reaches its peak, the Forest Service will seek funding to add a task force that includes a couple of hand crews and other equipment, she said. That will invariably come in August, she added. "We do know that August always gets here hot and dry — no matter what the spring or winter did," she said. Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times