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60 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, September 17, 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 How To Guide 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 June 2, 2004 Fire season begins Friday for Jackson, Josephine counties Things are drying out and heating up, prompting state forestry officials to declare Friday as the official beginning of the 2004 fire season in Jackson and Josephine counties. The season unofficially started Tuesday for several Southern Oregon fire crews battling a wildfire in Josephine County. It burned through about five acres of slash and heavy brush in the Swede Basin area, eight miles west of Wonder. The fire did not grow rapidly, but firefighters’ efforts were complicated by steep, rugged terrain and wind, according to Dennis Turco, fire prevention officer for the Oregon Department of Forestry. The cause of the fire was under investigation. A warm spring has fire officials expecting a "busier than average" fire season this year, said Dan Thorpe, ODF’s Medford unit forester. Thorpe said fire season is declared "when it looks like we’ve run out of rain and the grass starts to cure." Fire crews have extinguished a number of escaped outdoor burns in recent weeks, another sign that fire season is close, Thorpe said. Beginning Friday, open burning will be prohibited on lands protected by ODF in Jackson and Josephine counties. That includes all private, county, state and Bureau of Land Management land. Some local fire departments may allow barrel burning through June 30, so check with them for permit requirements. Beginning July 1, all outdoor burning will be prohibited. Advertisement Loggers must have fire equipment and a watchman during all logging operations, according to ODF. Fire season regulations also restrict campfires to fire pans or fire blankets on sand and gravel bars on the wild and scenic section of the Rogue River between Grave Creek and Marial. Tuesday was the first official day of fire season in Klamath and Lake counties. 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 SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities