LA GRANDE — A warming and drying trend in the forecast has prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) to begin fire season throughout Northeast Oregon.

Department officials say they’re seeing fire danger increasing across the Northeast Oregon District as a whole.

Fire season restrictions began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 22, for forest and rangelands protected by ODF’s Northeast Oregon District.

“We’ve already had a couple of fires that had potential and were able to extinguish them while they were small,” said Tracy Brostrom, the Wallowa Unit forester for ODF.

“I know the Fourth is just around the corner and fireworks create some sleepless nights worrying about what can happen,” he said, and urged recreationists to “just be smart and cognizant with your surroundings this fire season, and please call if you have any questions regarding restricted activities.”

The La Grande Unit of the department can be reached at 541-963-3168.

“Early in the fire season, it’s important to know what fire restrictions are in effect,” said Matt Howard, the Northeast Oregon District forester. “We really want to encourage folks to make sure they are getting out regularly and checking any place where slash or debris piles were burned late last winter and this spring. Those areas can hold heat for a long time and cause fires to rekindle months later.” 

The fire season declaration places fire-prevention restrictions on landowners and public and also puts into place fire-prevention regulations on industrial logging and forest-management activities.

Lands affected include private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands in Union, Baker, Wallowa, and Umatilla counties along with small portions of Malheur, Morrow, and Grant counties within the Northeast Oregon Forest Protection District. This area encompasses approximately 2 million acres of protected lands.  

The declaration of fire season triggers these restrictions:

• Debris burning is by permit only. To obtain a burn permit for a debris pile or burn barrel, call your local ODF office. The Wallowa Unit office can be reached at 541-886-2881. The La Grande Unit office is at 541-963-3168. The Baker City Sub-Unit office can be reached at 541-523-5831. The Pendleton Unit can be reached at 541-276-3491.

• The use of exploding targets, tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base is prohibited.

• Logging and other industrial operations must meet requirements for fire prevention, such as fire tools, water supply, and watchman service when those operations are occurring on lands protected by ODF.

• Campfires need to be attended and fully extinguished before being left.

• Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required: shovel or other firefighting tool, minimum of 1-gallon of water, or 2½-pound or larger fire extinguisher. Fires must be watched for at least an hour after extinguishing. Get permission from the landowner before starting a campfire.

• The use of fireworks is prohibited. Sky lanterns always are illegal in Oregon. 

To report a fire, dial 911.

Officials urge people planning to work or recreate in the forests to know the fire restrictions before heading out. Check with your local U.S. Forest Service office for fire regulations on national forest land, or Bureau of Land Management offices for lands managed by BLM. Information on public-use restrictions on Oregon Department of Forestry lands and the Umatilla and Wallowa-Whitman national forests can be found at bmidc.org under Current Information: Fire Restrictions.

For current information on restrictions across the Northeast Oregon District, call 541-975-3027 or visit bmidc.org.