Document text
Fire danger drops, but fire season isn’t over yet By Nick Morgan Sep 19, 2022 04:11 PM A A Cool, wet weather through Wednesday leads to fire levels dropping a notch to ‘high’ Owing to recent rains and more precipitation in the forecast, fire officials in Southern Oregon are downgrading the fire danger level from “extreme” to “high.” Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest will reduce its fire danger to “high” across its five ranger districts one minute after the clock strikes midnight Tuesday, according to a news advisory issued by the Forest Service. On Monday, the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District downgraded some 1.8 million acres of state, private, county-owned and Bureau of Land Management lands within Jackson and Josephine to yellow-level “high.” On ODF-protected lands, the downgrade allows the use of power driven equipment such as chainsaws, mowers, weed-eaters, metal cutters, grinders and other spark-emitting equipment before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m. Regulations require the operator to have a shovel and an 8-ounce or larger fire extinguisher on site, and a one-hour firewatch is required after chainsaw use. Exceptions for spark-emitting internal combustion engines are allowed only if the work site is cleared of flammable vegetation and a water supply is at the job site. Still prohibited during high fire danger is any debris burning, including burn piles and debris in burn barrels, and no fireworks are allowed within an eighth of a mile of forest lands. For a full list of restrictions, see swofire.com. Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest officials cited cool temperatures and rain in the forecast through Wednesday as reasons behind the downgrade. Cool and humid conditions are aiding containment on the Rum Creek Fire, which remained Monday at 83% contained with no new fire growth. Crews battling the fire were downsized to 330 personnel Monday, and command is being transitioned to a Type 3 Incident Management Team effective 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Forest Service. On BLM lands effective Monday, visitors may use portable cooking stoves that use liquefied or bottled fuels. Campfires or other types of open fire, including the use of charcoal briquettes, are prohibited. For the latest on fire restrictions on BLM lands, see blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions The Forest Service warns fire season isn’t over, with temperatures expected to warm later this week. The National Weather Service forecast for the Medford area calls for showers through Wednesday night and highs Tuesday of 72 and Wednesday of 65. Skies are expected to clear starting Thursday, with a Friday high of 81, a Saturday high near 85 and a Sunday high of 89. Reach web editor Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @MTwebeditor.