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0 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 Adult foster care providers protest home closures ... Employers, workers get clarity on Oregon minimum wage rules ... Former SOU VP Earl Potter mourned by colleagues in two states ... Adult foster care providers protest home closures ... Employers, workers get clarity on Oregon minimum wage rules ... Former SOU VP Earl Potter mourned by colleagues in two states ... FIRE SEASON Southwest Oregon's fire season starts Friday Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 5:05 PM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 5:05 PM » Social News A looming forecast of scorching temperatures, some in the triple digits, for later this week has prompted Oregon Department of Forestry officials to declare the start of the 2016 summer fire season in southwest Oregon. ODF officials said the season will kick off a minute after midnight Friday, June 3. After that, burn piles and burn barrels will not be allowed on the 1.8 million acres of lands protected by the department's southwest Oregon district. That includes state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties. "We're in for some pretty warmer-than-normal sunny weather," said ODF spokesman Brian Ballou. "That's going to cure the grass pretty quick down at the valley floor." Solid snowpack in the Cascades and Siskiyous has boosted area reservoirs, but fire officials said that might mean little to nothing for the lands they protect, which consist primarily of low-elevation grasslands, brush and mid-elevation forests. Remaining snowpack is at higher elevations on national forest and park lands. "Abundant grass and weed growth across the district will provide plenty of fuel for wildfires, once the vegetation fully cures," an agency news release reads. "In addition, tree mortality from the drought has left numerous dead and dying trees scattered across the landscape. These may moderately increase the severity of forest fires in some parts of the district." A high pressure system moving into the area could mean temperatures of more than 100 degrees on Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday isn't expected to be much better, with a predicted high temperature just under that triple-digit threshold. "It doesn't take long to get dry when you get 100-degree days," Ballou said. In 2015, the fire season spanned June 5 to Oct. 28. There were 255 fires reported during that time, which burned a total of 347 acres, ODF reported. Of that number, people started 202 of them, and 53 others were lightning-sparked. Ten years of data show average numbers for an area fire season are 230 fire starts and 5,600 acres burned. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jun. 1, 2016 at 5:05 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 2016 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