Western Lane District Raises Fire Precaution Levels

The district imposed fire safety rules on recreational activities in the forest on July 20th.

File photo Salem-News.com

(EUGENE, Ore.) - The ongoing heat wave has prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry's Western Lane District to raise the fire safety precaution levels across western Lane County and northern Douglas County.

Beginning July 30th, most timber harvest activity on the three-quarters of a million acres protected from wildfire by the district will be restricted to the period from 8:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) for the WT-1 zone will move from Level 2 up to Level 3. The IFPL for the SL-2 zone will go from Level 1 to Level 2. Both changes will take effect at 1:00 a.m. on July 30.

Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level 3, use of chainsaws and heavy equipment is severely limited, and firefighting equipment must be on site at all times, with a fire watch posted after an operation shuts down for the day. Level 2 stipulates similar, but slightly less restrictive operating rules.

A map of the two zones can be viewed on the Department of Forestry Website, oregon.gov/ODF/FIRE/precautionlevel.shtml. Click on the heading, "Western Lane."

The district imposed fire safety rules on recreational activities in the forest on July 20th.

These "regulated-use restrictions" limit smoking, campfires and off-road riding of motorized vehicles, among other activities. Details can be found at the above link.

Source: Oregon Department of Forestry