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http://www.omniture.com --> Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Advertisement Email Story to a Friend June 9, 2006 Despite recent rain, open burning is still banned By Bill kettler Mail Tribune Record-breaking heat in May prompted state forestry officials to ban open burning, but a wet spell at the end of the month showed how erratic spring can be in Southern Oregon. A mid-month heat wave made the fifth month of 2006 hotter than average, and a week of rain just before Memorial Day made the month wetter than average even though no rain at all fell during the first 18 days of the month. Near-100-degree heat on May 16, 17 and 18 helped spur state foresters' decision to end open burning, but other factors were involved in the decision, too, said Brian Ballou, a spokesman for the Department of Forestry's Central Point office. Ballou noted that no measurable rain had fallen for more than 30 days, and fire departments were being dispatched to a growing number of escaped burns. Ballou said information about fire intensity ­-- how hot and how fast things burn — from firefighters across Jackson and Josephine counties helps state forestry officials decide when to eliminate open burning. Escaped open burns are one of the leading causes of wildland fires, Ballou said. Cool, damp weather during the spring of 2005 postponed the start of burning restrictions until June 27. In 2004, burning restrictions began on June 4. Ballou said firefighters were seeing "pretty intense fire behavior" at escaped burns by mid-May this spring, even at relatively cool mid-elevation 2,500 feet areas around Prospect and Butte Falls. Grass fires on the valley floor were burning hot, too, Ballou said. The moisture in downed logs and other large debris on the forest floor had fallen dramatically down to as little as 15 percent in some areas during the dry spell that started right after Easter, and fire agencies that serve rural communities were reporting that the number of fires had picked up. "That told us that things were dry, and fires could escape and give us quite a bit of grief," he said. Ballou said foresters had to weigh that information against weather forecasts that were predicting scattered showers for Southern Oregon, but no appreciable amounts of precipitation. Showers would not have dampened the ground enough to appreciably affect fire intensity for more than one or two days, Ballou said. "Within 48 hours it would have been like the rain never happened," he said. The weather chose not to cooperate. Rain began to fall soon after foresters announced that open burning would end May 24, and more than 1.5 inches of rain fell in Medford, one of the driest areas in the region, before the month ended. Resuming open burning after it has been banned makes enforcement of the eventual burning ban more difficult, Ballou said, so it's highly unlikely that state foresters would rescind the open-burning ban. Barrel burning is still allowed when atmospheric conditions are suitable, but those who burn should obtain a permit from their local fire departments. Call 776-7007 for information about daily burning conditions. Reach reporter Bill Kettler at 776-4492 or e-mail [email protected] Advertisement s Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations --> online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Entertainment Guide --> Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Pharmacy