ODF Central Oregon District ends fire season Wednesday; local burn rules still apply
CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) -- The Oregon Department of Forestry Central Oregon District will officially end fire season for all protected forestlands effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
The Central Oregon District protects more than 2.1 million acres of private, state, county, municipal and tribal lands. The service area spans Hood River, Wasco, Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Lake, Gilliam, Wheeler, Umatilla, Grant and Harney counties.
With the official end of fire season, landowners under state protection may resume burning residential yard debris and operating burn barrels, provided they follow local regulations and burn safely.
Between July 15 and July 24, lightning across the district sparked more than 140 fires across all land ownerships. Initial attack crews contained dozens of small fires while responding to larger blazes, including the Akawa Butte Fire and the Rowe Creek Complex.
Specific units within the district controlled several major blazes during the season. The Dalles Unit, working with local landowners, stopped the Upper 8 Mile Fire at 500 acres within the first burn period. Later in the season, the Monument Unit responded to the 722-acre Cottonwood Fire on Aug. 6, completing a fire line around the perimeter within the first 12 hours.
Rob Pentzer serves as the ODF Central Oregon District forester. Pentzer commended the firefighters, partner agencies and landowners who responded to fires across the region throughout the season.
“First and foremost, I would like to thank our firefighters and support personnel. Your dedication to protecting Oregon's natural resources and communities is admirable,” Pentzer said. “This was an arduous season for the district, but we made it through with the support of our local, state, federal partners and our landowners.”
While the conclusion of fire season allows residential burning to resume, specific regulations remain in place depending on the location. Burn permits outside of fire season are required on lands protected by the Prineville/Sisters Unit and The Dalles Unit, while no permit is required in the John Day/Fossil Unit. Forestry and logging slash burning requires a Notification of Operation/PDM and approval based on the state smoke management forecast.
Landowners within local fire department protection areas must check directly with their local fire departments to verify permit requirements and confirm that local burn bans have been lifted.
For questions regarding burn regulations, residents can contact their local ODF offices: the Prineville/Sisters Unit at 541-447-5658, The Dalles Unit at 541-296-4626, or the John Day/Fossil Unit at 541-575-1139.
For more information on the Central Oregon District and fire season regulations, visit https://odfcentraloregon.com/. To report a fire, please call 911.
