Fire season in the northwest corner of Oregon is over.
The Oregon Department of Forestry said that lands protected by their agency in the Northwest Oregon Forest Protective Association were no longer under fire season or regulated use as of 9 a.m. Monday.
At the same time, the Washington County Fire Defense Board—which includes the Banks Fire District, Forest Grove Fire & Rescue and other area agencies—lifted a county-wide debris burning ban.
“If you live within an Oregon Department of Forestry protected area, please contact them before burning,” Forest Grove Fire & Rescue said.
“Slash burning requires a burn permit to manage air quality,” ODF officials said in an email, and encouraged those planning slash burns to contact their local ODF office for permits.
Locally, fire season began July 11.
“It was a busy and late season. Thanks to the many partners that helped on these fires,” said ODF Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata in an email.
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.
