Fire, News, Weather

Fire season looms in NW Oregon

As areas in Oregon enter fire season, this region, visited by rains and cool weather until recently, has not. Now, an Oregon Department of Forestry official says that could change next week. 

“While the wet spring has been great, things are starting to dry out,” said ODF Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata. “Last weekend’s hot weather made a difference on the fuels, however upcoming cool and damp weather will restore some of the lost moisture,” he added.

As a result, fire season in the Northwest Oregon Forest Protective Association, which stretches from northern Yamhill County to Astoria and from Forest Grove to the Pacific Ocean, is not expected to be announced before July 4, Cafferata said in an email to members of the association, largely industrial forest users such as logging companies. . 

“Going into fire season is challenging.  We balance reducing the risk of human-caused wildfires with the costs and difficulties of being in fire season. Ultimately, we are trying to make restrictions match the fire danger, and not be over- or under restrictive,” Cafferata explained. 

Tuesday, fire crews were seen training in aircraft at Hagg Lake in preparation for the fire season.

Cafferata expects fire season to become effective sometime in the next week, he said Wednesday. 

Whether or not the fire season is in effect by Independence Day makes no difference when it comes to fireworks use in lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry. 

Fireworks are banned in those areas, which includes the Tillamook State Forest and many adjacent areas. 

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Chas Hundley is the editor of the Gales Creek Journal and sister news publications the Banks Post and the Salmonberry Magazine. He grew up in Gales Creek and has a cat.

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