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Fire danger level moving to extreme By Vickie Aldous Updated: Jul 12, 2021 02:05 PM A A 3 View all photos The Bootleg fire northeast of Klamath Falls has grown past 153,535 acres. In Jackson County, the fire danger level moves to extreme on Wednesday. Photo courtesy of InciWeb More restrictions take effect Wednesday in Jackson County The Oregon Department of Forestry announced it will raise the fire danger level to extreme on Wednesday on ODF-protected land in Jackson and Josephine counties. The change affects 1.8 million acres of private, county, state and U.S. Bureau of Land Management land within ODF’s Southwest Oregon District. The industrial fire precaution level will remain at level two, ODF said. Under the extreme fire danger level, public mowing of dry or dead grass and cutting, grinding and welding metal is prohibited. The public use of other power-driven equipment ― including chain saws, wood splitters and generators ― is also banned. Other restrictions are already in effect, including bans on debris burning, burn barrels, using exploding targets and tracer ammunition and open fires except in approved fire rings at designated campgrounds. Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and designated locations. Motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, may only be used on improved roads free of flammable vegetation, except when used for the growing and harvesting of agricultural crops. People who travel off state highways, city and county roads and driveways must carry a shovel and a gallon of water or a fire extinguisher. ATVs and motorcycles must be equipped with a fire extinguisher. For more information on ODF fire season restrictions, visit swofire.com or the district’s Facebook page at facebook.com/ODFSouthwest . So far, no major wildfires are burning in Jackson County, but the area is being hit with smoke from regional fires in Klamath and Douglas counties and Northern California. The Bootleg fire northeast of Klamath Falls sends a smoke plume into the air. Photo courtesy of InciWeb. For updates on smoke conditions, visit DEQ’s Air Quality Monitoring Data site at oraqi.deq.state.or.us/home/map . Monitors are set up in cities around the state, including Medford, Talent, Ashland, Shady Cove and Grants Pass. The National Weather Service predicts patchy smoke through Wednesday night in the Medford area. Temperatures will peak at 91 degrees Tuesday, then drop into the 80s at least through Sunday, according to the forecast. The Bootleg fire northeast of Klamath Falls ballooned past 153,535 acres as of Monday. More than 1,000 firefighters are dealing with hot temperatures, heavy fuel loads with record-low moisture levels, flames raging across land and through tree crowns, and wind-driven embers spotting ahead of the main fire. There was no containment estimate Monday, according to the national InciWeb incident information system. The Cutoff fire east of Klamath Falls burned nearly 1,300 acres before being contained. East of Roseburg, the Jack fire had burned 12,533 acres as of Monday and was 10% contained. Ground firefighters and aerial resources are battling the Jack fire east of Roseburg. Photo courtesy of InciWeb. Reach Mail Tribune reporter Vickie Aldous at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter @VickieAldous .