Northwestern Oregon to Enter Fire Season July 5th

Districts entering into fire season on July 5th include Forest Grove, Tillamook and Astoria.

More than 150 students from the Central Oregon Wildfire School in Madras participated in the two-day training. Photo courtesy: firerescue1.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Oregon Department of Forestry announced today that its northwestern Oregon districts will enter fire season on July 5th.

Fire season imposes certain restrictions on activities in the forest. Logging operations, for example, are required to have a fire watch present after work activity ceases for the day, and fire suppression equipment must be positioned on site.

Backyard burning of yard waste and other debris is also prohibited during fire season. Escaped debris burns rank as the most common type of human-caused wildfire in northwestern Oregon. Homeowners with yard waste such as tree prunings and grass clippings are encouraged to contact the nearest Department of Forestry office or fire department to inquire about alternative methods of disposal.

The forest protection districts entering into fire season on July 5th include Forest Grove, Tillamook and Astoria.

While the northwestern Oregon districts are typically the last in the state to enter fire season due to their cooler, wetter weather, they nevertheless have the greatest potential for destructive wildfires. The lush forest growth there constitutes a large fuel load that could burn with great intensity in the event of a fire.

About two-thirds of the wildfires that occur annually on the 15.8 million acres of forestland protected by the department statewide are caused by people. The department urges all Oregonians to exercise fire safety when recreating and working in the forest this summer.