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Cool weather brings reduction inPublic Use Restrictions and Industrial Fire Precaution Levels
Release Date: Sep 7, 2016
JOHN DAY, PRAIRIE CITY, and HINES, OR – Due to recent cool, wet weather, reductions in fire restrictions and precaution levels will take place effective at 12:01 am on Thursday, September 8.
The north half of the forest, Blue Mountain and Prairie City Ranger Districts, will drop to Phase B of Public Use Restrictions (PURs) and Level II of Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL).
The south half of the forest, Emigrant Creek Ranger District, will also drop to Phase B of PURs, but will remain at IFPL III.
In short, campfires are allowed forest-wide in designated campsites under Phase B of PURs. Under IFPL II, firewood cutting with a valid personal use firewood permit is allowed until 1 p.m. on the north half of the forest, Blue Mountain and Prairie City Ranger Districts. Firewood cutting remains prohibited on the south half, Emigrant Creek Ranger District, under IFPL III.
The fire danger rating remains HIGH. With a high fire danger rating, please remember that fires start easily and spread at a fast rate. All fine dead fuels ignite readily and fires start easily from most causes. Unattended campfires are likely to escape. Fires spread rapidly and short-distance spotting is common. Please use caution and think fire prevention when recreating in the forest.
What does this mean?
Phase B of Public Use Restrictions:
1. Campfires allowed only in developed recreation sites. This restriction applies to building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, charcoal briquettes or stove fire except for liquefied or bottled gas stoves and heaters.
a. Campfires must be attended at all times, and completely extinguished prior to leaving.
b. Persons with campfires are required to have a tool that can serve as a shovel and one gallon of water in their possession, except in specified developed recreation sites. NEWS RELEASE (continued)
c. Wood burning stoves equipped with a chimney that is at least five (5) feet in length with a spark-arresting screen consisting of ¼ inch mesh hardware cloth are allowed in developed recreation sites.
2. No internal combustions engine operation, except motor vehicles. Chainsaw use is prohibited (Firewood permits and other special use permits follow IFPL, and users of these permits must follow conditions outlined in their permit.) Electrical generators operated under the following conditions are allowed:
1. in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material, or;
2. when fully contained within a pickup truck bed that is devoid of all flammable material, or;
3. when factory installed in a recreational vehicle and the generator exhaust discharge is located in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.
3. Smoking allowed only in enclosed vehicles and buildings or areas cleared of flammable material with a minimum clearance of 3 feet.
4. No off-road/off-trail vehicle travel or travel on roads not cleared of standing grass or other flammable material; no vehicle travel on those FS roads where access has been impeded or blocked by earthen berm, logs, boulders, barrier, barricade or gate, or as otherwise identified in the Fire Order.
Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL):
Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) Level II, partial hootowl, chainsaws may operate only between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. with a valid personal use firewood permit. All other chainsaw use is prohibited.
Under IFPL III, partial shutdown, all internal combustion engine operation is prohibited.
For a complete list of developed recreation sites/campgrounds and Public Use Restrictions on the Malheur National Forest, please visit the Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/malheur.
The public is responsible for knowing if restrictions are in place and can obtain information through many avenues:
Call the Forest’s offices or District offices at:
• Malheur National Forest Supervisors/Blue Mountain Ranger District Offices: 541-575-3000,
• Prairie City Ranger District: 541-820-3800,
• Emigrant Creek Ranger District: 541-573-4300,
• Or on the web at: www.fs.usda.gov/malheur.
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