LA GRANDE, OR – The Oregon Department of Forestry has declared the start of fire season for the Northeast Oregon District covering 2 million acres due to increasing fire activity and dry conditions.
District Forester Justin Lauer announced the fire season will officially begin at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, June 5 and that fire prevention restrictions are now in place for landowners and the public
“Continued dry conditions and increasing temperatures are expected in the coming weeks,” Lauer said. “These conditions, combined with rising fire danger, have led us to declare fire season.”
The declaration affects private, state, county, municipal, and tribal lands, including Union, Baker, Wallowa and Umatilla counties, as well as parts of Malheur, Morrow and Grant counties.
Industrial logging and forest management activities are also subject to new regulations. Sky lanterns along with exploding targets and tracer ammunition are prohibited.
“Declaring fire season allows us to help prevent human-caused fires, which can be a significant issue throughout the summer,” Lauer explained.
For information on restrictions, call (541) 975-3027 or visit the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center website.
