Southwest Oregon - As the weather continues to trend towards warming and drying, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, Medford District of Bureau of Land Management-Grants Pass Field Office, and the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District are implementing campfire restrictions on those lands located within the boundaries of the Wild section of the Rogue River. The Wild section flows from Grave Creek to the mouth of Watson Creek.
Effective 12:01 a.m. on Monday, June 24, 2019, building, maintaining, attending, or use of a fire is permitted only within a raised fire pan or similar device that will contain the fire and its residue, free of natural vegetation, below the high-water mark from Grave Creek downstream to the mouth of Watson Creek. All ashes are to be carried out. As a preventative measure, each group traveling on the river must have a shovel and bucket.
Additionally, smoking is only permitted while on watercraft on waterways, or in areas that are on sand and gravel bars between the river and high-water mark and naturally free of flammable vegetation.
At the same time, Fire Danger is increasing to “Moderate" on Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest administered lands across southwest Oregon.
Additional fire restrictions may be put in place as fire season progresses, and this order will remain in effect through Nov. 30, 2019, unless conditions allow it to be rescinded sooner.
The Oregon Department of Forestry is jointly increasing the restrictions on the Wild section of the Rogue River to “Low" (green). The following restrictions are now in effect:
1. Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in boats on the water, and on sand or gravel bars that lie between water and high water marks that are free of vegetation.
2. Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires. Campfires built in fire pans or on fire blankets are allowed on sand or gravel bars that lie between water and high water marks that are free of vegetation.
3. Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required while traveling: one shovel and a one-gallon or larger bucket.
4. Use of fireworks is prohibited.
Along with these restrictions, also prohibited throughout fire season is backyard debris burning, the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition. On all other lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry in Jackson and Josephine counties, the Fire Danger Level is Moderate" (blue), and additional restrictions are in effect. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level is Level I (one). More information on current restrictions can be found at www.swofire.com or the district’s Facebook Page: @ODFSouthwest.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
