Industrial fire precaution level rising on C.O. public lands

Beginning next Monday the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests, Crooked River National Grassland and the Prineville District of the BLM will raise the Industrial Fire Precaution Level to IFPL 3, Partial Shutdown.

There are four Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPLs) that restrict certain work activities as fire danger increases. On Monday, August 8, 2016 at 12:01 a.m. the IFPL will be raised to a Level 3, which prohibits:

All woodcutting activity for either personal or commercial use.
Operating cable yarding systems, except gravity operated systems employing non-motorized carriages between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m.
Use of power saws by timber operators, except at loading sites and on tractor/skidder operations between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. local time.

The following activities are allowed to operate between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. local time, but are not allowed to operate between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m.:

Tractor, skidder, feller-buncher, forwarder or shovel logging operations are allowed if a tractors, skidders, or other equipment with a blade capable of constructing fireline is immediately available to quickly reach and effectively attack a fire start
Mechanized loading or hauling of any product or material for blasting
Welding or cutting of metal
Any other spark emitting operation not specifically mentioned.

Both the BLM and the Forest Service want to emphasize that the change in the IFPL is not a change for the general public, except for woodcutters. However, if there continues to be an increase in human-caused fires from abandoned campfires or other recreational uses, the BLM and the Forest Service may need to begin Public Use Restrictions in the near future.

Fire danger levels in much, but not all, of Central Oregon are extreme, officials said The public is asked to be very cautious with any cooking or campfires while recreating.