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Amid dry spell and windy forecast, Oregon Dept. of Forestry reminds property owners to monitor their burn piles

Redmond firefighters extinguish brush fire in October 2020 sparked by unattended burn pile
Redmond Fire & Rescue/file
Redmond firefighters extinguish brush fire in October 2020 sparked by unattended burn pile

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Due to the recent extended drying pattern and east winds in the forecast this weekend, the Oregon Department of Forestry is encouraging anyone who may have completed a debris or slash burn in the past few months to monitor and patrol the burn site.

Embers can smolder beneath the surface, even in winter, after a burn and reignite in dry conditions. The National Weather Service is forecasting east winds this weekend with gusts up to 30 mph, which could reignite residual embers and start a fire.

If you feel heat at your burn site, drown the site with water, stir, and repeat until it's cold to the touch.

"This dry, windy weather is what reminds us that fire can happen in any season, not just summer," Blake Ellis, ODF's Fire Operations Manager said.

ODF said its districts across the state are prepared to respond over the weekend to any new fire starts.

Looking forward, similar conditions (light easterly flow and below-freezing temperatures overnight) will stick around through the end of the month and possibly into February.

For more fire prevention information and tips, visit https://www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/Pages/fireprevention.aspx or https://keeporegongreen.org/.

Article Topic Follows: Oregon-Northwest

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Barney Lerten

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