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2001 fire season begins today By PAUL FATTIG Sparked by unusually dry conditions with precipitation barely at 50 percent of normal for the year, the 2001 fire season began at 12:01 a.m. today in Jackson and Josephine counties. That means open burning is now prohibited on state, county, private and Bureau of Land Management lands in the two counties protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. Outdoor burning, including the use of burn barrels, is permitted in some areas. However, permits to use a burn barrel must be obtained from your local fire department or ODF office. However, some fire districts, like the Williams Rural Fire Protection District, are already prohibiting all outdoor burning with the start of fire season. All outdoor burning in the ODF's Southwest Oregon District will be prohibited beginning July 1. Although fire season begins on a day when spring drizzles are dampening some areas, the current weather has done little to dampen the fire danger, said Jeff Schwanke, head of the ODF's Southwest Oregon District that includes the two counties. For instance, the moisture level in live trees, normally around 200 percent for this time of year, is already down to 90 percent, he said. And the moisture content in the large "fuels" - dead and down trees - has already dropped below 20 percent, he added. "It's hard to predict what the fire season is going to be like but those kinds of things are pretty indicative," Schwanke said. "It's likely to be a longer season, and probably with severe fire danger." The average starting date for the annual fire season in the region is the second week in June. Although April showers temporarily staved off the fire season following the abnormally dry winter, those showers did nothing to soak the heavier fuels, he explained. "April helped, but we also had some abnormally hot temperatures here last week," he said, adding, "Everything dried out in just a few days." Evidence of how dry the region has become was apparent in a 70-acre wildfire that started Sunday afternoon after stiff winds rekindled a two-week-old controlled burn on the Prospect Ranger District in the Rogue River National Forest. The fire charred grass and forest duff in the Woodruff Meadows area before it was controlled Monday. "These conditions are typical of late summer," said Jack Sizemore, assistant fire management officer for the district. "We were lucky that no resources were harmed. It just crept along on the ground." The Jones Fire 15 miles due south of Mount Ashland consumed 1,670 acres in the Klamath National Forest before it was contained inside fire lines Sunday. Firefighters expect to have that fire controlled today. The Jones Fire has been traced to a burn barrel on private property. The property owner is liable for the cost of suppressing that fire which has exceeded $330,000, officials said. Anywhere in Jackson and Josephine counties where burn barrels are still allowed must use extreme caution, Schwanke said. No burning will be allowed on windy days and all burn barrels must be out by 10 a.m., he added. Commercial operators on forested land are now required to have fire equipment on site, and provide a fire watch. Campfires and smoking on the wild and scenic section of the lower Rogue River will only be permitted between the river and the high water mark. Campfires in that area are restricted to fire pans or fire blankets. The agency also is encouraging rural homeowners to take steps to defend their homes against wildfires. Firefighting experts from the ODF will inspect rural homes at no cost to make recommendations on how to reduce threats from wildfires. "We are encouraging people to protect their homes now," Schwanke said. "It's not too late to do a lot of that work." Preventive measures include everything from removing flammable brush near a home to removing dry leaves from rain gutters. While there is a chance the region could experience a rare rainy summer, thus putting a damper on fire danger, Schwanke isn't optimistic. "We're talking about one of the top four or five driest years on record right now," he said. "I don't think we can count on a wet summer." Reach reporter Paul Fattig at 776-4496 or e-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.