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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Former Central Point crime lab tech under investigation in OSP probe ... Medford police arrest suspect in gun robbery ... Fatal crash leads to manslaughter charge ... Former Central Point crime lab tech under investigation in OSP probe ... Medford police arrest suspect in gun robbery ... Fatal crash leads to manslaughter charge ... WILDFIRE SEASON Fire danger dips to high, removing a few restrictions Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 16, 2015 at 11:53 AM Updated Sep 16, 2015 at 4:29 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 16, 2015 at 11:53 AM Updated Sep 16, 2015 at 4:29 PM » Social News Recent rain and a temperature drop won't be enough to end southwest Oregon's 2015 wildfire season, but it is enough to scale back some restrictions. The fire danger level dropped Wednesday from extreme to high. The Oregon Department of Forestry reported that power-driven machinery can be used until 1 p.m., and then again at 8 p.m. Prior to Wednesday, power equipment could be used only until 10 a.m. In addition, anyone boating on the Rogue River's Wild & Scenic Section between Grave Creek and Marial can now use charcoal fires for cooking, provided they use a raised pan in a vegetation-free area and haul the ashes out. "We had a complete closure on all open flame until (Wednesday) morning," said ODF spokesman Brian Ballou. "We just wanted to give the public a break on power equipment use," Ballou said. Metalwork such as cutting, welding or grinding also must shut down between 1 and 8 p.m. Fireworks, tracer ammunition, exploding targets and sky lanterns still aren't allowed in wildland or forest areas. Motorized vehicles still can't drive on unimproved roads, and smoking is allowed only inside an enclosed vehicle. The recent drop in temperatures and rain prompted the easing on restrictions, though Ballou said it will be some time before fire season is declared over. "It's going to be a while," Ballou said. "We'll need a lot more rain than what we've already got to make any more significant changes." By Wednesday afternoon, just over one-tenth of an inch of rain had fallen on Medford over a nine-hour period, with various amounts from 5/100 to one-tenth of an inch around Jackson County, according to the National Weather Service. More of the same is in the Thursday forecast. "After that, it's going to warm back up for the weekend," said meteorologist Misty Duncan, pointing toward high temperatures in the mid 80s to low 90s Friday through Sunday. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Posted Sep. 16, 2015 at 11:53 AM Updated Sep 16, 2015 at 4:29 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501