tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52321975651201875202012-01-31T09:37:38.471-08:00Wildfire information/fire prevention in southwest Oregon<br><a href="http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/">Oregon Department of Forestry</a><br> <a href="http://www.swofire.oregon.gov/">Southwest Oregon District</a>Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.comBlogger2721100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-86293251117949119352012-01-31T09:35:00.000-08:002012-01-31T09:37:38.490-08:00

The NW Oregon and SW Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committees (RFPC) have announced a joint meeting of the two groups for February 9 in Eugene.Regional Forest Practices Committees are panels of citizens – mandated under Oregon law - that advise the Oregon Board of Forestry on current forestry issues and forest management approaches. Three Regional Forest Practices Committees, serving the

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-14300882547850241722012-01-26T13:03:00.000-08:002012-01-26T13:04:31.943-08:00

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Oregon State Conservationist Ron Alvarado today announced a funding opportunity for wetland protection, restoration and enhancement activities on eligible lands in Oregon. Proposals for projects are due by Feb. 10, 2012. Funding comes through the agency’s Wetlands Reserve Enhancement Program (WREP), with up to $17 million available nationwide.“

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-67044326031928269262012-01-24T16:20:00.000-08:002012-01-24T16:23:44.725-08:00

As high winds and blustery weather begins to calm, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) officials are urging forest landowners in NW Oregon to assess damage to trees and natural hazards created from the storm.35 percent of the state’s 30,500,000 forested acres are in private ownership. Storm cleanup and damage assessment for forest landowners is focused on four key areas:• Downed and leaning trees

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-4644397411149498522012-01-13T08:22:00.000-08:002012-01-13T08:24:23.860-08:00

The Medford District, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), will host a public meeting on January 19, 2012 at the Medford District BLM, 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, Oregon from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. to present and discuss the Integrated Vegetation Management Project (IVMP).Integrated vegetation management is a systematic approach to accomplish a variety of stand and vegetation treatments (commercial,

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-61951015526326049842012-01-13T08:16:00.000-08:002012-01-13T08:20:48.668-08:00

The public may visit federal recreation day-use sites for free over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend – Jan. 14, 15 and 16. The fee-free day honors the legacy of the civil rights leader and his work.The administrative fee waiver of recreation-use fees applies to federal recreation lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, as well as by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-62114460791644823672012-01-05T08:16:00.000-08:002012-01-05T08:18:45.447-08:00

Mike and Barb Meredith of Medford have won the 2011 Jackson County Tree Farmer of the Year award. County winners are chosen each year for the commitment to and care for the forested land base within their ownership, as well as their involvement in community issues within the fields of forest and resource management. The Merediths were selected by a team of local judges, including Lee Winslow of

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-15643800466059008652012-01-03T09:34:00.000-08:002012-01-03T09:40:37.080-08:00

A prolonged period of unusually dry weather in southwest Oregon this winter has made the region's low-to-mid-elevation wildlands susceptible to wildfire. People planning to do backyard burning, or who have burned debris in the last couple of weeks, are advised to monitor their fires closely and check old burn sites for embers. A dry wind could easily cause a burn pile fire to scoot through dry

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-82611775755195930212011-12-20T08:15:00.000-08:002011-12-20T08:20:23.360-08:00

Oregon’s budget has necessitated cuts to a lot of programs – including some in forestry and the Oregon Department of Forestry’s flagship publication, “Forests for Oregon” – but the magazine-turned-newsletter is still available online, and it’s free.In print since 1930, “Forests for Oregon” was known as “The Forest Log” in its early years. It may be one of the state’s longest continuously printed

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-68586971409926658052011-12-19T09:31:00.000-08:002011-12-19T09:32:26.898-08:00

Riddle: what helps fish, improves air or water quality, provides new capital for public services and puts Oregonians to work? An Oregon state agency may have found an answer.The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) recently concluded a pilot project to test the feasibility of having state-managed lands participate in the rapidly emerging ecosystem services credit trading market. This type of

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-29116395827908725942011-11-30T09:09:00.000-08:002011-11-30T09:12:14.398-08:00

A 30-acre site on state land is scheduled to be burned today in Jackson County. The site is located 5 miles west of Talent.Several prescribed burning projects are scheduled for today on federal lands in both Jackson and Josephine counties.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-72108486389119605552011-11-28T11:26:00.000-08:002011-11-28T11:29:47.648-08:00

A 1-acre prescribed burn in planned for today on private land in Jackson County. The project site is located 2 miles east of Butte Falls.No prescribed burns on state or private lands in Josephine County are scheduled today. However, several prescribed burning projects will take place today on federal lands in Josephine County.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-22686727216323020832011-11-23T09:14:00.001-08:002011-11-23T09:45:08.666-08:00

In Josephine County, a 20-acre project site on private forestland will be burned today. The site is located 10 miles southwest of Glendale.Two prescribed burning projects are scheduled for today. Both are on private forestlands.-- A 10-acre site located 18 miles east of Ashland-- A 200-acre site located 5 miles northwest of Butte Falls.No prescribed burning projects are scheduled for today on

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-30020059865504131172011-11-22T14:05:00.001-08:002011-11-22T14:10:52.762-08:00

In Jackson County, the following prescribed burns will take place today on private forestlands:-- A 50-acre project area 9 miles east of Shady Cove-- A 10-acre project area 18 miles east of Ashland-- A 40-acre project area 4 miles northwest of Jacksonville-- A 10-acre project area 14 miles north of Rogue River-- A 40-acre project area 11 miles northeast of Butte Falls-- A 4-acre project area 10

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-84154198356602588242011-11-21T10:27:00.000-08:002011-11-21T10:33:35.318-08:00

Several prescribed burning projects are scheduled for today in Jackson County:-- A 100-acre site on private land 17 miles southwest of Jacksonville-- A 203-acre site on private land 7 miles northwest of Shady Cove-- A 3-acre site on private land 4 miles northwest of Jacksonville-- A 86-acre site on private land 14 miles north of Rogue River-- A 5-acre site on Bureau of Land Management lands 6

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-25436803583648138052011-11-18T13:43:00.000-08:002011-11-18T13:51:44.108-08:00

A major wildfire erupted late yesterday in Reno and is still burning. High winds have driven the fire through several neighborhoods. Thousands of people have been evacuated. For current information, see the Reno Gazette-Journal website.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-14000395185005763972011-11-18T09:29:00.000-08:002011-11-18T09:38:13.289-08:00

In Jackson County, the following prescribed burning projects are scheduled for today:-- A 43-acre unit on private land located 14 miles north of Rogue River-- A 53-acre unit on private land located 16 miles north of Rogue River-- A 70-acre unit on private land located 1 mile west of Butte Falls-- A 60-acre unit on private land located 7 miles northwest of Butte Falls-- A 57-acre unit on private

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-933632483190487922011-11-17T09:28:00.000-08:002011-11-17T09:33:29.950-08:00

Starting on Saturday, November 19, Christmas tree tags will be available at numerous vendor locations in southwest Oregon. Starting on Monday, November 21, Christmas tree tags may also be purchased from Forest Service and BLM offices in southwest Oregon, including the Medford Interagency Office and the BLM Coos Bay District in North Bend starting on Monday, November 21. The tags allow the cutting

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-20730498778264890672011-11-17T09:17:00.001-08:002011-11-17T09:48:15.878-08:00

The following prescribed burning projects are taking place today in Jackson County:A 40-acre area on private land 8 miles northwest of Shady CoveA 13-acre project on private land 4 miles north of Rogue RiverA 60-acre project on private land 3 miles southeast of Butte FallsA 110-acre project on private land 17 miles north of Eagle PointA 118-acre project on private land 7 miles northeast of Butte

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-7885242473135177212011-11-14T09:47:00.001-08:002011-11-14T09:49:35.598-08:00

A 200-acre area on private land will be burned today. This site is located in Jackson County, 7 miles east of Butte Falls.In addition, six prescribed burns will be taking place today on national forest lands in Josephine County.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-52637310708290061242011-11-12T08:44:00.001-08:002011-11-12T08:48:15.930-08:00

A 50-acre prescribed burn on state land in Josephine County is scheduled to take place today. The site is located 2 miles southwest of Glendale near Wolf Creek Rd. No prescribed burns on state and private lands in Jackson County are slated for today.For prescribed burns on national forest lands today, see the Medford Interagency Communications Center's website for locations and other information.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-18648385982334144012011-11-10T09:35:00.001-08:002011-11-10T09:42:09.453-08:00

Several prescribed burning projects will take place today. Smoke will rise off private lands in Jackson County from the following locations:A 117-acre project site 8 miles southeast of Butte FallsA 56-acre project site 8 miles north of Butte FallsA 136-acre project site 7 miles northeast of Butte FallsA 104-acre project site 11 miles northeast of Butte FallsA 60-acre project site 3 miles

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-79711315908325128732011-11-09T07:57:00.000-08:002011-11-09T08:02:45.055-08:00

A dozen prescribed burning projects will take place today on federal lands in Jackson and Josephine counties. See the Medford Interagency Communication Center's prescribed fire web page for locations and other details, or call (800) 267-3126.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-25043046267114679922011-11-08T08:32:00.000-08:002011-11-08T09:54:48.214-08:00

Several prescribed burning projects are scheduled today on national forest and Bureau of Land Management lands in southwest Oregon. The projects are detailed on the Medford Interagency Communication Center's prescribed fire web page.Additionally, five burning projects will take place today on private forestlands in the Cave Junction area.In Jackson County, two prescribed burns are scheduled for

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-1298539145945804382011-11-07T10:53:00.000-08:002011-11-07T11:03:28.897-08:00

The following prescribed burns are scheduled for today in Jackson County:A 72-acre area on state land located 12 miles northwest of Shady CoveA 196-acre area on private land located 16 miles north of Butte FallsA 102-acre area on private land located 4 miles east of Butte FallsA 176-acre area on private land located 3 miles northeast of Butte FallsA 110-acre area on private land located 17 miles

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-55989819961591058102011-11-04T16:32:00.000-07:002011-11-04T16:35:04.511-07:00

The following prescribed burns are scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 5, in Jackson County:A 50-acre site on private land, 3 miles south of TillerA 2-acre site on private land, 12 miles south of AshlandA 5-acre site on BLM land, 5 miles south of Gold Hill

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-70555794965241859862011-11-04T09:41:00.001-07:002011-11-04T09:46:23.123-07:00

In Jackson County, the following prescribed burns are scheduled to take place today:A 30-acre project on Bureau of Land Management Lands in the Shale City area, 8 miles northeast of AshlandA 102-acre project on private lands 4 miles east of Butte FallsA 100-acre project on state lands 11 miles south of AshlandA 110-acre project on private lands 23 miles north of Butte FallsIn Josephine County,

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-34481817590403397552011-10-31T14:16:00.000-07:002011-10-31T14:22:05.672-07:00

The Medford Interagency Communication Center's website has a page that lists all prescribed burns taking place on federal lands. This page is updated daily.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-52025934006479899352011-10-25T08:28:00.000-07:002011-10-25T09:45:13.526-07:00

Fire season may be over but wildfires can still occur. These lovely autumn days have been wonderful for working on pre-winter yard projects, and many people have been burning piles of tree branches and other woody debris. Unfortunately, several debris pile fires have gotten out of control recently, requiring fire suppression assistance from the Oregon Dept. of Forestry and structural fire

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-12537476074228091542011-10-24T09:21:00.000-07:002011-10-24T09:23:23.074-07:00

The USDA Forest Service today identified a preferred approach for continuing the aerial application of fire retardant on National Forest System lands.As described in the final environmental impact statement it issued, the preferred approach would map land and water areas to avoid endangered, threatened, and sensitive species. This agency-preferred alternative would only permit aerial delivery of

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-79998546144401685602011-10-18T10:27:00.000-07:002011-10-18T10:28:17.461-07:00

Fire season 2011 started out slow with a cool, wet spring that delayed the onset of fire activity several weeks. By mid-July when Oregon’s fire season typically hits full stride, 144 fires had burned just 136 acres on the lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) – low numbers compared to the running 10-year average of 388 fires burning nearly 13,000 acres.By the middle of August

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-75112686121998422432011-10-05T11:06:00.000-07:002011-10-05T11:07:45.511-07:00

Fire season ends at noon today, Oct. 5, on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District. The season began July 1.ODF’s Southwest Oregon District protects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management lands in Jackson and Josephine counties.The fire danger level is “low” (green) and all public regulated use and industrial fire

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-5575467936127171862011-10-03T09:37:00.000-07:002011-10-03T09:41:49.401-07:00

The fire danger level on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties drops to “moderate” (blue) today, Oct. 3, and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level is 1 (one). Significantly cooler weather and some rainfall have allowed ODF to make these changes.Here is a summary of the public regulated use restrictions now in effect:• No open burning of debris, whether in

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-83527152180249554822011-09-30T10:42:00.000-07:002011-09-30T10:43:23.002-07:00

State officials announced that a new site with trees infected by the pathogen Phytophthora ramorum – also known as Sudden Oak Death – has been discovered in Curry County. The new infection site is over six miles north of a quarantine boundary established by state and federal officials to stop the spread of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) infection outside of southwest Oregon.Two tanoak trees infected with

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-42520169641343315742011-09-30T08:44:00.000-07:002011-09-30T08:46:19.441-07:00

With the advent of shorter days, cooler temperatures and significant precipitation in the forecast, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest has terminated the public use restrictions for fires on the Wild Rivers, Siskiyou Mountains and High Cascades Ranger Districts effective Friday, September 30, 2011. Fire danger on the Forest remains High and the Industrial Fire Precation Level (IFPL) remains

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-17796876732909200632011-09-28T14:22:00.000-07:002011-09-28T14:26:09.745-07:00

For the Oct. 1 general big game season opener, predicted dry conditions in most forested areas of Oregon underscore the need for hunters to be fire safety conscious. Even though fall is in the air, careless actions can still spark a wildfire.Parched grasses, brush and other fine fuels can ignite from a variety of sources – an errant spark from a campfire or warming fire, a discarded cigarette, or

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-64996446058115534342011-09-28T10:19:00.000-07:002011-09-28T10:21:56.091-07:00

Ashland Fire & Rescue proudly announces the recognition of two additional Firewise Communities, Merrill Circle and Strawberry Lane Meadows. These two neighborhoods will be formally recognized for their efforts in wildfire preparedness by posting Firewise Communities signs in the neighborhood. The street signs indicate national recognition of the community that has partnered with Ashland Fire &

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-24434430847907395852011-09-28T08:23:00.000-07:002011-09-28T08:25:36.631-07:00

The Southern Oregon Regional Forest Practices Committee has scheduled a meeting for Wednesday October 12 at the Sleep Inn and Suites, 2855 Edenbower Boulevard in Roseburg. The meeting is tentatively scheduled to run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a public comment period scheduled near the start of the meeting.Regional Forest Practices Committees are panels of citizens – mandated under Oregon

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-14959295970189016892011-09-27T08:35:00.000-07:002011-09-27T08:38:10.392-07:00

The weekend weather proved to be a double edged sword for fire danger on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest as winds from the approaching cold front and subsequent precipitation first increased fire behavior on the Lonesome Fire, then provided enough relief to enable fire restrictions to be relaxed on the wild section of the Rogue Wild and Scenic River.The Lonesome Fire, located within and

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-10722666503317457612011-09-26T14:47:00.000-07:002011-09-26T14:50:46.064-07:00

The Klamath National Forest announces prescribed burning projects that will reintroduce fire back into the ecosystem under established and controlled burning conditions. Low intensity underburns and burning of piled materials will be utilized to reduce vegetative build-up with the objectives of mitigating the severity of future wildfires, enhancing wildlife habitat, and improving the overall

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-76641580011137358572011-09-23T09:45:00.000-07:002011-09-25T06:48:12.784-07:00

[ updated 9/25/2011 6:30 a.m. ]The fire danger level on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties decreased to "high" on Sunday, Sept. 25. This affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management lands protected by ODF’s Southwest Oregon District. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level remains at level 2 (two).Fire prevention

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-34470068879722978022011-09-15T06:25:00.000-07:002011-09-15T06:30:39.926-07:00

Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2 (two) takes effect today on lands protected by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District. No changes will be made to public regulated use restrictions on ODF-protected lands. The fire danger level remains “extreme” (red).Under IFPL 2, the following restrictions are in effect:The use of fire in any form is prohibited;The use of power saws is

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-31153027491696983182011-09-14T15:15:00.000-07:002011-09-14T15:18:44.208-07:00

Heightened fire danger has prompted officials of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest to increase restrictions on activities that could ignite wildfires. Effective at midnight on September 13, 2011, fires, smoking and use of internal combustion engines on the High Cascades, Siskiyou Mountains and Wild Rivers Ranger Districts are prohibited as follows:Building, maintaining, attending, or using

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-62890531705662348102011-09-13T10:58:00.000-07:002011-09-13T11:05:46.380-07:00

Woodland Trails & WildlifeFriday, Sept. 3011 am - 4 pmOSU Extension, 215 Ringuette, Grants PassTrails can be a huge asset to your property. They provide quick access for your land management activities, and you can get to those special places without having to bushwack and carry a machete. This field-based workshop will cover trail design and location, construction, and maintenance, with an

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-12772755257733818822011-09-12T10:54:00.000-07:002011-09-12T13:05:48.945-07:00

Eight fires in the O’Brien area have been determined to be of suspicious origin, and the Oregon Dept. of Forestry and the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest are seeking the public’s help in finding the person responsible for setting these fires. The first fire of suspicious origin was set June 13 and the most recent was 79-acre Lone Mtn. Fire, which started Sept. 9.The fires were in the Lone

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-30644741826298789542011-09-12T10:39:00.000-07:002011-09-12T10:41:37.766-07:00

A thunder cell peppered the area near Rustler Peak with lightning yesterday evening starting at least five new fires on the High Cascades Ranger District of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. Engines and handcrews have responded to these small fires located approximately 10 miles northeast of Butte Falls. One of the fires is located within the Sky Lakes Wilderness. All of the fires are

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-22788763807256901332011-09-12T10:28:00.000-07:002011-09-12T10:37:23.968-07:00

Very few smokes were visible from the 79-acre Lone Mountain Fire last night and after a careful search with a hand-held infra-red detector, only a very few “hot spots” were detected. Fire crews will be given these coordinates today, and if the smokes are well inside the burned area they will be monitored during the next few days.The smaller fire size is from more accurate mapping of the fire's

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-27511478450140370322011-09-12T08:30:00.000-07:002011-09-12T09:04:23.415-07:00

Oregon Dept. of Forestry engine crews from the Medford Unit found three small lightning-caused fires in the Johnson Prairie area late Sunday. One fire was 1/2 acre, another 1/4 acre, and the third was less than 1/10 of an acre.Johnson Prairie is a few miles southeast of Howard Prairie Reservoir.A reconnaissance plane will fly over the southern Cascade Range today. Lightning strikes were seen

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-90153371465824265822011-09-11T17:03:00.000-07:002011-09-11T17:08:09.974-07:00

Fire suppression activities on the Lone Mountain Fire are progressing very quickly and successfully. The fire perimeter has been walked by personnel with a GPS unit and the acres burned, or area within the containment lines is now calculated to be approximately 100 acres. That perimeter is entirely circled with containment lines and crews have installed fire hoses on most of the lines to assist

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-52186062425422891882011-09-10T09:38:00.000-07:002011-09-10T10:54:31.967-07:00

A fast-moving wildfire broke out late Friday west of O'Brien in southern Josephine County. The fire is on Lone Mountain and is estimated at 250 acres. The fire started around 6:45 p.m. on Bureau of Land Management land, protected by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, and crossed onto the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. An incident management team has been ordered to oversee suppression of the

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-36510214493980279532011-09-10T09:36:00.000-07:002011-09-10T09:38:24.681-07:00

Status: Firefighters are nearing the completion of mop-up operations on the Little Butte Fire which is now 95% contained. Management of the fire has been transferred to a local Type 4 organization and the Incident Command Post at the Lily Glen Equestrian Camp has been dismantled. Final area of the fire is 467 acres. No structures have been lost and no firefighters have been injured as a result

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-53926948554890967622011-09-09T08:24:00.000-07:002011-09-09T08:37:05.513-07:00

Status: Firelines have been completed and firefighters are aggressively mopping up to meet containment objectives. The fire exhibited no growth on Thursday and the size remains at 467 acres. The fire is estimated to be 75% contained with full containment expected Sunday.Today firefighters will continue to secure the fireline by dousing hotspots and felling snags that pose a threat to the

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-64971927585046626522011-09-08T09:56:00.000-07:002011-09-08T10:00:50.508-07:00

Status: Firefighters made excellent progress yesterday on the Little Butte Fire. Fire managers were challenged by high temperatures, a very unstable atmosphere, and steep terrain and used hand crews, engines, dozers, and aircraft to minimize the spread of the fire. No structures have been lost. Today firefighters will continue line construction and reinforce existing fireline by falling snags and

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-51594356946822651922011-09-07T12:42:00.000-07:002011-09-07T12:45:16.033-07:00

Status: Firefighters worked overnight on the Little Butte Fire to strengthen established firelines and successfully lined a 10-acre spot fire. Today crews will continue to concentrate on fireline construction, securing established firelines and scouting for spot fires outside the fire perimeter. Firefighters will be challenged by steep terrain and critical fire weather conditions. Aerial

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-7737172059187538412011-09-07T12:30:00.000-07:002011-09-07T12:32:42.055-07:00

With wildfire danger at the highest levels of the summer and likely to rise further in the coming days, Oregon’s state forester Wednesday urged Oregonians to use utmost care in preventing fires.“We have high heat, low humidity, and lightning in the forecast – a very dangerous combination,” State Forester Doug Decker said. “We always hope people are careful with fire in the woods. But if there

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-81920579609316969032011-09-07T07:59:00.000-07:002011-09-07T08:02:06.028-07:00

The Little Butte Fire, previously known as the Dead Indian Mtn Fire, is burning in pine/oak in steep terrain on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest. The grew by 50 acres Tuesday for a total acreage of 250 acres. Fire behavior was somewhat less than expected, with creeping and individual tree torching observed.Firefighters have made good progress with line construction and holding the

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-52234971212911102492011-09-06T09:51:00.000-07:002011-09-06T09:53:33.025-07:00

The 200-acre Dead Indian Mtn Fire was turned over to the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest because most of the area burned by the fire is on national forest land.Crews last night completed 80 percent of the fireline around the burned area.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-73009636139620888242011-09-05T22:19:00.000-07:002011-09-05T22:28:06.728-07:00

A fire reported at 5:00 p.m. today on Dead Indian Mtn. quickly burned east through a canyon of brush and timber. The head of the fire at sundown today was approximately 3-4 miles southwest of Fish Lake. The burned area is estimated at 200 acres.Crews and equipment from the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and from private companies will be working

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-85699487064165173082011-09-05T10:48:00.000-07:002011-09-05T10:52:24.725-07:00

Continued dry weather has prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry to shut down all use of power-driven equipment in Jackson and Josephine counties starting at 1:00 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 6. Logging and other industrial activities on ODF-protected lands will also see increased fire prevention restrictions taking effect tomorrow.The public-use fire danger level will remain at “extreme” (red), but

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-76580726538633295192011-09-05T07:38:00.000-07:002011-09-05T07:42:57.812-07:00

A thunderstorm scattered at least 50 lightning strikes across southern Jackson County late Sunday, causing at least one fire on ODF-protected land. The fire is located 3 miles west of Hyatt Lake and is estimated at 1 acre. Crews had constructed a fire line around most of the burned area by this morning, and additional firefighters have been ordered to help with completely extinguishing the fire.A

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-1613660298945396192011-09-02T13:28:00.000-07:002011-09-02T13:51:45.025-07:00

As a public safety measure and to ensure that the State can meet its contractual timber sale obligations, certain roads in the Elliott State Forest will be closed to public vehicle access beginning today. Roads behind gated closures will remain open to foot traffic for public use of the forest, except in active timber harvest areas. The 93,000-acre Elliott State Forest is located in the Coast

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-50249496569803059542011-08-31T12:12:00.000-07:002011-08-31T12:14:27.520-07:00

Mark Wallace was sworn in yesterday as Oregon State Fire Marshal in a small ceremony at the state capitol. Oregon State Police Superintendent Chris Brown administered the oath of office making Wallace the 9th person appointed as Oregon's top fire official. "Being Oregon's newest state fire marshal is a great honor for me," said Wallace. "I know I am taking charge of an agency with a great

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-20273820885625194842011-08-26T17:14:00.001-07:002011-08-26T17:17:14.018-07:00

In the past few days, several large fires have broken out in Oregon. Many of the fires were caused by lightning, and most of the fires are east of the Cascade Range. For updates about the large fires, see the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center's web page for maps and details. More lightning is predicted to hit the state this weekend.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-4409245812866808962011-08-26T08:37:00.000-07:002011-08-31T12:17:06.562-07:00

Fire watchers found a handful of lightning-caused fires on ODF-protected lands on Thursday. The largest was a 1/4-acre fire on Granite Hill, north of Grants Pass. The rest of the fires found yesterday in Jackson and Josephine counties were smaller, and all fires have fire lines around them and are mopped up. The Granite Hill Fire was caused by a lightning bolt that hit an old antenna mast. The

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-18191465010989504632011-08-26T08:08:00.000-07:002011-08-26T08:17:50.597-07:00

The fire danger level on Oregon Dept. of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties rises to "extreme" today. Chain saws, and power mowing and brush-cutting equipment must be shut down by 10:00 a.m. There are also restrictions on the use of other gasoline engine-powered equipment and spark-generating activities. In the Wild and Scenic Section of the Rogue River between Grave

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-11413870640046312262011-08-25T13:16:00.000-07:002011-08-25T13:19:40.652-07:00

Based on current and forecasted weather and indices, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is moving into extreme fire danger ratings across the entire forest. This rating includes associated public use restrictions on the Illinois River and the Wild and Scenic portion of the Rogue River. In addition, the forest is also moving into Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) II, which restricts

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-52779247100357083572011-08-25T13:13:00.000-07:002011-08-25T13:16:06.821-07:00

Firefighting resources on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest responded to a number of lightning-caused strikes late yesterday afternoon as a result of an active storm pattern that moved across the state. A combination of hand crews and engines responded to six fires less than ¼ acre in size, quickly containing the fires. Specific to National Forest-administered lands in southwest Oregon,

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-14908311893780165282011-08-25T08:13:00.000-07:002011-08-25T08:50:04.175-07:00

Oregon Dept. of Forestry firefighters in Jackson and Josephine counties took action on 9 lightning-caused fires on Wednesday and early this morning. The largest is a 2.5-acre fire on Sloan Mtn. in Josephine County, near Wilderville. The rest of the fires are 1/10th of an acre in size or smaller, and are either lined and mopped up, or nearly so. A reconnaissance flight will be going up this

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-40920811213292649492011-08-24T10:50:00.000-07:002011-08-24T10:54:59.870-07:00

The public use fire danger level on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District climbs to “extreme” (red) at 1:00 a.m. Friday, August 26. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) remains at Level 2 (two). Fire precaution levels assigned by the Southwest Oregon District, located in Medford, affects state, private, county and Bureau of Land Management

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-74439978692383874442011-08-24T10:06:00.000-07:002011-08-24T10:09:18.571-07:00

RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT A MODERATE TO STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE INTO NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AND SOUTHERN OREGON THIS AFTERNOON. THIS WILL SUPPORT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. THESE STORMS WILL START OUT DRY BUT SOUTHWEST OREGON AND NORTHWEST CALIFORNIA MAY SEE WETTING RAIN BY TONIGHT. A SECOND AREA OF UNSTABLE AIR WILL MOVE NORTH INTO THE WARNERS AND THE DESERT

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-40416609591098863342011-08-23T14:12:00.001-07:002011-08-23T14:12:40.952-07:00

The McAllister Spring Fire at milepost #3, 12 miles SE of Ashland, has been GPS'ed at 1.9 acres. It is 100% lined and 50% mopped. The fire should be 100% mopped by 5 p.m. today.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-24563068238475246472011-08-23T12:13:00.000-07:002011-08-23T12:15:21.753-07:00

Oregon Department of Forestry firefighters were called in for a report of smoke 12 miles SE of Ashland- at 11 a.m. The one acre grass fire located at mile marker #3, has now grown to three acres in size. Firefighters have the fire 50% lined and 10% mopped up. There are two helicopters, one fixed wing, a dozer, six engines and one hand crew on scene. The fire is currently under investigation.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-69817868396493706052011-08-22T09:11:00.000-07:002011-08-22T09:16:44.026-07:00

Increased fire danger on forestlands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District has made it necessary to increase the fire prevention measures on industrial operations, such as logging sites and other commercial operations. Industrial Fire Precaution Level II (two) takes effect at 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 24, and includes the following restrictions: The use

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-50623002524638557072011-08-22T08:38:00.000-07:002011-08-22T08:41:06.692-07:00

The thunderstorms that were expected to hit the southern Oregon Cascades late Sunday didn't materialize. Instead, the storms drifted farther north and east into the central Cascades. The National Weather Service says the threat of lightning may return to the southwest Oregon Cascades by mid-week.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-8133146091033940712011-08-21T09:39:00.000-07:002011-08-21T09:45:02.608-07:00

URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MEDFORD OR 234 AM PDT SUN AUG 21 2011 AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING ACROSS THE AREA TODAY IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS...COMBINED WITH DRY FUELS WILL LEAD TO A SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR FIRE STARTS... ...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 8 PM PDT THIS

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-8159081067712202612011-08-21T08:56:00.000-07:002011-08-21T09:09:37.778-07:00

A 7-acre fire east of O'Brien kept firefighters busy throughout the night. The fire was reported near the junction of Waldo Rd. and Suncrest Dr. shortly after 7:30 p.m. Saturday, and firefighters from the Oregon Dept. of Forestry and Illinois Valley Fire District responded. No structures were immediately threatened by the fire. The fire has a containment line around it and crews are mopping up

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-64404179694228860672011-08-20T14:03:00.000-07:002011-08-20T14:06:52.569-07:00

People driving past the North River Road Fire may see occasional plumes of smoke rising from the burned area. This is not unusual, but if a particularly large plume of smoke is seen, call the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Grants Pass dispatch office at (541) 471-3883. If you see a big plume of smoke anywhere outside of the North River Road Fire area, call 9-1-1.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-35053557544030926572011-08-20T14:02:00.000-07:002011-08-20T14:03:13.484-07:00

The roadblocks on North River Road, between the eastern edge of the city of Rogue River and Twin Bridges Rd., will be removed by 6:00 p.m. today. The roadblocks were put in place late Thursday after the North River Road Fire crossed the pavement. Fire suppression-related traffic has been heavy in the area, and the road has been limited to fire vehicles and local residents. Most of the fire

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-37058186668787257662011-08-20T08:43:00.001-07:002011-08-20T08:43:41.483-07:00

The 565-acre North River Road Fire, located east of the city of Rogue River, was declared fully contained at 7:00 p.m. Friday. The 200 firefighters working today’s day shift will focus on extinguishing remaining hotspots within 100-150 feet of firelines and structures. Yesterday, fire investigators said the roadside fires that ignited the North River Road Fire on Thursday afternoon were caused

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-28530856724312847652011-08-19T08:43:00.001-07:002011-08-19T08:43:58.751-07:00

Fire crews working on the North River Road Fire, east of the city of Rogue River, made good progress overnight with building fireline and knocking down hotspots along the fire’s perimeter. The fire is estimated at 425 acres in size and is 40 percent contained. Approximately 300 firefighters are assigned to the fire today. A second fire west of the city of Rogue River, next to Foothill Blvd., is

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-59220700831842490372011-08-18T22:59:00.000-07:002011-08-18T23:01:12.837-07:00

A string of small grass and brush fires along Interstate 5 near the city of Rogue River started two wildfires that threatened approximately 40 homes. One of the fires burned more than 400 acres east of the city, and the second fire burned 2.5 acres west of the city. The 400-acre fire crossed North River Road, where most of the homes are located, and burned up the south side of Tin Pan Peak. The

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-82680601842110501322011-08-18T10:32:00.000-07:002011-08-18T10:35:04.373-07:00

Firefighters from the Oregon Department of Forestry and rural fire protection districts have been responding to a higher than normal number of illegal burns on residential lands, primarily in Josephine County. The open burning of debris piles and the use of burn barrels is not allowed on ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties during fire season, which began July 1. People who burn

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-29249782976052075022011-08-17T09:03:00.000-07:002011-08-17T09:23:35.838-07:00

A fire broke out shortly after 2:00 p.m. Tuesday in the 7000 block of Upper Applegate Road. The first firefighters on scene reported that a car, an outbuilding and some trees were afire, and the fire was spreading up a hill. ODF and US Forest Service engine crews, and firefighters from Applegate Valley Fire District #9 stopped the wildfire at 1/2 acre. Two hours later, firefighters responded to

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-48366130145756922102011-08-16T09:19:00.000-07:002011-08-16T13:51:29.488-07:00

[ updated 2:00 p.m. ] Engine crews from ODF's Medford Unit responded this morning to a cluster of five fires in the West Fork of Trail Creek area. The fires are on privately owned forestland and are burning in old logging slash. The largest fire is 1/2 acre and the other four are approximately 1/4 acre each. Four of the fires were reported at 6:48 a.m. today. The fifth was discovered a

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-12467305003790699482011-08-15T09:46:00.000-07:002011-08-15T09:56:26.251-07:00

Firefighters on ODF's Grants Pass and Medford units continue to chase small brush and grass fires in Jackson and Josephine counties, but overall fire activity remains significantly lower than normal. Southwest Oregon District firefighters have responded to 62 fires so fire during this fire season, and a total of 15.17 acres have burned. This is significantly lower than the 10-year average of 138

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-28422363700163494832011-08-12T09:39:00.000-07:002011-08-12T09:41:11.694-07:00

Thanks to Jackson/Josephine County Title III funding, the Rogue Valley Fire Prevention Cooperative (RVFPC) was able to conduct a public opinion survey on wildfire this spring in the Applegate Valley, the Seven Basins area, the Greensprings and Ashland’s Wildfire Hazard Zone. This was a mail-in survey, and the RVFPC partnered with the Southern Oregon University’s (SOU) Research Center to implement

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-48882064829688703452011-08-11T08:19:00.000-07:002011-08-11T08:22:15.110-07:00

A workgroup of representatives from state and federal government, forest industries, renewable energy development and the environmental community will meet in Salem on August 22 to talk about the role of Oregon’s forests in providing energy production from wood. The Forest Biomass Work Group will meet on Monday August 22 at 10:00 a.m. in the Administration Building (Tillamook meeting room) of

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-249669697551222512011-08-09T11:28:00.000-07:002011-08-09T11:33:35.450-07:00

The Oregon Dept. of Forestry has received several phone calls recently about people using chain saws after 1 p.m. Fire prevention regulations now in effect in Jackson and Josephine counties require that chain saws and other power-driven equipment not be used between 1 p.m. and 8 p.m. A wildfire caused by chain saws or other power-driven equipment, such as brush cutters, may result in the user or

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-42037638497802377502011-08-01T09:15:00.000-07:002011-08-01T09:19:10.905-07:00

The National Weather Service has posted a Red Flag Warning for thunderstorms in the Cascades and Siskiyous, particularly along the Oregon-California border. Storms are expected to develop after 1:00 p.m. today and remain active into the evening.

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-56863015231651224502011-07-29T15:32:00.000-07:002011-07-29T15:37:51.173-07:00

The fire danger level on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties will increase on August 1. The fire danger level will be raised to “high” (yellow) at 1:00 a.m. Monday, and affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management lands protected by ODF’s Southwest Oregon District. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level will

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-51891160559485254862011-07-21T07:58:00.000-07:002011-07-21T08:08:52.054-07:00

Jackson County residents have opportunity to participate in a field-based education program about natural resource management.The Oregon State University Extension Service and the Jackson Soil and Water Conservation District are pleased to offer the 2011 Land Steward program. The Land Steward training will help local small-acreage landowners learn about ways to create a healthy environment on

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-92202778760577194812011-07-20T08:31:00.001-07:002011-07-20T08:37:40.913-07:00

Sunny weather is returning to southwest Oregon starting today. It only takes a few hours of sun on a hot day before dry grass and weeds are ready to burn. Mowing will significantly reduce the risk of grass fires. Currently, there are no fire season restrictions in place that restrict when mowing can take place, and several Rogue Basin cities have ordinances which require tall, dry grass and

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-4396495404571863492011-07-19T11:27:00.000-07:002011-07-19T11:39:51.072-07:00

The Southwest Oregon District recently restored a 1930 Ford wildland fire suppression truck and it will be on display at the district's open house, July 23. The 4-cylinder, 2-seat, 5-barrel stump jumper is pretty darn close to the original animal, which was used on wildfires in southwest Oregon in the Depression era. It's a rough-riding rascal, but its tall gearing enabled it to climb steep

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-40274595482535499712011-07-19T10:34:00.001-07:002011-07-19T10:44:22.961-07:00

Approximately 75 lightning strikes were registered overnight on the Southwest Oregon District. No fires have resulted from the thunderstorm, likely due to the generous amount of rain that fell along with the lightning.Most of the lightning that was recorded in Josephine County hit from Selma to just west of Grants Pass. In Jackson County, lighting was recorded in the East Evans Creek-to-Round Top

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-86521183524292308432011-07-18T16:42:00.000-07:002011-07-18T16:45:06.318-07:00

How many fires have started on ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties this year? How many acres have these fires burned? Find out on the Southwest Oregon District's fire statistics page. The page is updated every Monday and reflects fire started on ODF-protected lands, which includes 1.8 million acres of private, state, county and Bureau of Land Management lands in the two-county

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-3217511873530083792011-07-18T12:02:00.000-07:002011-07-18T14:58:11.087-07:00

When: July 23, 2011 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Where: Oregon Dept. of Forestry, Southwest Oregon District, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central PointThe Oregon Department of Forestry turns 100 this year, and the Southwest Oregon District is holding an open house on July 23 to celebrate the agency’s centennial. Visitors are welcome to see the district’s wildfire suppression trucks, helicopters and other

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-28505967158934499942011-07-18T08:41:00.000-07:002011-07-18T08:53:33.036-07:00

Airtanker 62 has arrived at the Medford Airtanker Base, located at the Rogue Valley International Medford Airport, and is ready for service. The aircraft is one of two airtankers on a state contract with Butler Aviation, based in Redmond. The second airtanker is stationed at the Redmond airport. Both planes are available for use statewide on wildfires threatening Oregon Department of

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-69987546812525850852011-07-05T16:53:00.000-07:002011-07-05T16:55:18.215-07:00

Two California Department of Forestry (Cal Fire) air tankers have joined Oregon forces in battling the Beals Creek Fire east of Canyonville. Size estimate has been revised to 65-70 acres. Douglas Forest Protective Association (DFPA) is leading the firefighting effort on the blaze, which was reported Monday evening. Burning on steep, rugged ground, the fire is dislodging debris down the slope and

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-70723239691350344292011-07-05T08:53:00.000-07:002011-07-05T09:06:02.329-07:00

ODF engine crews from the Grants Pass Unit chased a handful of smoke reports over the July 4 weekend, most of which were debris-burning piles. An old burn pile that rekindled burned 1/4 acre and was quickly extinguished by an engine crew.Open burning is no longer permitted since fire season began on Friday, July 1.The Grants Pass Unit also sent three firefighters to the Beals Creek Fire in

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-83460676288759666622011-07-01T06:25:00.000-07:002011-07-01T06:42:16.699-07:00

Fire season starts today on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry's Southwest Oregon District. This declaration affects 1.8 million acres of private, state, county, city and Bureau of Land Management forestland in Jackson and Josephine counties.The public regulated use fire danger level on these lands is "moderate" (blue) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level is 1 (one).Open

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5232197565120187520.post-61548692286104545452011-06-30T13:57:00.000-07:002011-06-30T14:01:06.941-07:00

As homes and cities expand closer to forests and wildlands across the American West,increasing wildfire threats have created an unlikely new phenomena – confidence in government.Recent studies show that people in neighborhoods adjacent to public forest lands can and do trust natural resource managers to a surprising degree, in part because the risks they face are so severe.Thousands of acres burn

Brian Ballounoreply@blogger.com0