Central Oregon public use fire restrictions expanding to Ochoco National Forest

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Ochoco National Forest said Wednesday it will now be implementing public use fire restrictions due to increasingly dry grasses, brush and vegetation. This decision puts the Ochoco National Forest in alignment with the Deschutes National Forest, Crooked River National Grassland and Prineville District BLM that have already implemented public use fire restrictions.

Effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 29, open fires, including wood stoves and charcoal briquette fires, will be prohibited, except in the following designated areas:

Ochoco National Forest
Paulina Ranger District: Cottonwood Pit Campground,Sugar Creek Campground, Wolf Creek Campground, Deep Creek Campground

Lookout Mountain Ranger District: Antelope Flat Reservoir, Ochoco Divide Campground, Ochoco Forest Campground, Walton Lake Campground and Wildcat Campground

Crooked River National Grassland
Haystack Reservoir Campground and Skull Hollow Campground

Deschutes National Forest

Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District: Big River Campground, Big River Group Camp, Bull Bend Campground, Chief Paulina Horse Camp, Cinder Hill Campground, Crane Prairie Campground, Cultus Lake Campground, East Lake Campground, Elk Lake Campground, Fall River Campground, Fall River Guard Station, Lava Lake Campground, Little Crater Campground, Little Cultus Lake Campground, Little Fawn Campground & Group Camp, Little Lava Lake Campground, Mallard Marsh Campground, McKay Crossing Campground, Newberry Group Camp, North Twin Lake Campground, Ogden Group Camp, Paulina Lake Campground, Point Campground, Prairie Campground, Quinn Meadow Horse Camp, Quinn River Campground, Rock Creek Campground, Sheep Bridge Campground, South Campground, South Twin Campground, Wyeth Campground, West South Twin Campground

Crescent Ranger District: Contorta Flat Campground, Contorta Point Group Camp, Crescent Lake Campground, Crescent Lake Resort, Odell Lake Resort and Campground, Princess Creek Campground, Shelter Cove Resort and Campground, Simax Group Camp, Spring Campground, Sunset Cove Campground, Trapper Creek Campground, Whitefish Horse Camp, Windy Group Site

Sisters Ranger District: Allen Springs Campground, Allingham Campground, Blue Bay Campground, Camp Sherman Campground, Candle Creek Campground, Cold Springs Campground, Driftwood Campground, Gorge Campground, Graham Corral Horse Camp, Indian Ford Campground, Jack Creek Campground, Lava Camp Lakes Campground, Link Creek Campground, Lower Bridge Campground, Lower Canyon Creek Campground, Perry South Campground, Pine Rest Campground, Pioneer Ford Campground, Riverside Campground, Scout Lake Campground, Sheep Springs Horse Camp, Smiling River Campground, South Shore Campground, Three Creek Meadow Campground & Horse Camp, Three Creek Lake Campground, Whispering Pines Horse Camp

Prineville District BLM

Castle Rock Campground, Chimney Rock Campground, Cobble Rock Campground, Lone Pine Campground, Palisades Campground, Poison Butte Campground, Post Pile Campground, Still Water Campground

These restrictions do not apply to Wildernesses on the Deschutes National Forest; however, these restrictions do apply to Wildernesses and Wilderness Study Areas on the Prineville BLM and in the Ochoco National Forest.

Additionally, under the public use restrictions, smoking is prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material. Traveling off developed roads and trails also is not allowed, except for the purpose of going to and from a campsite located within 300 feet of the open developed road.

Cooking stoves, portable propane campfires, and lanterns using propane or liquid fuel are allowed outside of designated campgrounds. The exception to this is BLM-designated campgrounds along portions of the Crooked, Deschutes, John Day, and White Rivers, as well as on BLM-administered lands along Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus. These public use restrictions do not replace the annual river corridor restrictions which were implemented June 1, 2023. Portable propane campfire devices are still prohibited in these areas.

Information on current restrictions or the current Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) can be obtained by contacting your Central Oregon Fire Use Information Line at 1-800-523-4737.

For current wildland fire information, the public can visit centraloregonfire.org or follow fire information on Twitter @CentralORfire. Call 9-1-1 to report a wildfire.