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43 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, October 10, 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 Menu Guide 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 September 21, 2004 Local wildfire season persists Warmer days ahead keep the official fire danger at ‘High’ in Southern Oregon By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune Cool and wet weather has enticed state foresters to ease some wildfire restrictions, but more hot weather on the horizon means the Rogue Valley remains in fire season. While the official fire danger remains "High" in Jackson and Josephine counties, the Oregon Department of Forestry on Monday lifted the afternoon bans on chainsaw use, the mowing of dry grass and other restrictions to public activities. However, all outdoor burning, fireworks and any driving off improved roads remains banned, as does smoking outside of vehicles in wildlands. Campfires remain legal only in designated locations within county and state parks. Unlike other parts of Oregon, the recent flirtation with fall brought the Rogue Valley only "spotty" rains that failed to soak out the fire season on state-protected lands. "We’ve been able to adjust some of the restrictions, but we’re not ready to do too much yet," Medford Unit Forester Dan Thorpe said Monday. "We’re certainly still in business. The heavy fuels are still dry, and the light fuels will be dry within hours." Advertisement Thorpe said he hopes further cooling and dampening of the woods and brush will allow state foresters to drop restrictions that currently ban campfires in traditional hunting camps. "But I feel no pressure to do that before it’s time," Thorpe said. "They’ve been a cause of fires in the fall before." Current weather forecasts make campfire restrictions likely for the Oct. 2 start of the general deer-hunting season. The weekend’s blustery weather will give way to sunny skies and temperatures forecast as high as 90 degrees by Friday. "We’ll have to see what the weather’s going to be in a week or so," said Dennis Turco, fire-prevention specialist at state forestry’s Central Point office. Fall fronts can bring shifting winds that can make even small fires still troublesome. "Typically, at this time of year, we can get some pretty strong east winds along the ridge lines," Turco said. Heavy early attacks on local fires has made for a light summer fire season to date in private, state, county and Bureau of Land Management lands protected by state forestry firefighters here. To date, 184 fires have burned a total of 232 acres in Jackson and Josephine counties. The fire acreage total is 6 percent of average for 1993-2002. Lightning has ignited only 21 fires burning fewer than 10 acres total, Thorpe said. The 10-year average is more than 63 lightning fires burning in 4,823 acres, he said. While fewer acres have burned this year, people still are wildfire fighters’ worst enemies. Thorpe said 98 percent of this year’s fires have been human-caused. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Activities remain restricted Continued "High" fire danger means the following activities remain restricted on state-protected wildlands in Jackson and Josephine counties: All outdoor burning remains banned. When fire season is lifted, burning will be allowed on select days and for those who get a free permit from their fire district or the Oregon Department of Forestry. Campfires are banned, except in designated locations like county and state parks. No fireworks in areas with flammable vegetation or federal lands. No use of vehicles off improved roads. Smoking in wildland areas is banned unless inside an enclosed vehicle while on improved roads free of flammable vegetation. Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1 restrictions are now in effect for industrial forest operators. 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. 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