The Gales Creek Overlook in the Tillamook State Forest. File photo: Chas Hundley//Gales Creek Journal The Tillamook State Forest is closed to the public, as are other forestlands protected by the agency in northwest Oregon due to extreme wildfire danger and limited firefighting resources. In an alert issued Wednesday afternoon,[Read More…]
Wildfire
Fire season begins statewide
ODF offices in Forest Grove. Photo: Chas Hundley OREGON – Fire season began July 1 for the Gales Creek area beginning July 1, and as of Monday, July 6, the rest of the state’s ODF protected lands have followed suit, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry. ODF’s Southwest Oregon[Read More…]
Region to officially enter fire season July 1
A Forest Grove Fire & Rescue vehicle stationed at the Gales Creek Fire Station. Photo: Chas Hundley NW OREGON – The Oregon Department of Forestry announced that the Northwest Oregon Forest Protective Association region, which includes much of the regions of Gales Creek, Buxton, Timber, Manning, and the Tillamook State[Read More…]
Six acres burned in the Tillamook Forest as region enters fire weather watch
Monday’s wildfire. Photo: ODF TILLAMOOK FOREST – The wildfire season is here a bit early, with six acres burning on private forestland in the Tillamook Forest on Monday. According to Forest Grove District forester Mike Cafferata with the Oregon Department of Forestry, the fire burned mostly in fresh timber harvest,[Read More…]
As warm weather moves in, ODF cautions against burning
A September 13, 2017 wildfire burns near Balm Grove in Gales Creek. Photo: Chas Hundley OREGON – Spring officially began on Thursday, March 19, and Oregon Department of Forestry officials are already warning of increased wildfire risk as warm, drier weather moves in. “The first week of spring has emergency[Read More…]
Brush fire burning near Highway 6 west of Timber Road
Cornelius Fire Department brush 816 drives through downtown Gales Creek, sirens blaring, as it heads toward the brush fire west of Glenwood. Photo: Chas Hundley UPDATE: Forest Grove Fire & Rescue says that Highway 6 could be closed for 3 to 4 hours, though crews hope to have it open[Read More…]
Small brush fire extinguished on Stringtown Road
Forest Grove Fire & Rescue crews spray down the burned area to ensure all hot spots are out. Photo: Chas Hundley STRINGTOWN – A small brush fire ignited on Tuesday morning along Stringtown Road near Ritchey Road, burning a small section along the road and damaging one homeowner’s wood fence.[Read More…]
Smokey Bear license plates will become available in Oregon August 1
Image courtesy of Keep Oregon Green OREGON – Smokey Bear’s 75th birthday is this year and Keep Oregon Green, a Salem-based nonprofit whose focus is the prevention of wildfires, and the Oregon DMV are celebrating the landmark with the introduction of a license plate adorned with the federal mascot. Beginning[Read More…]
Fire season begins for all Department of Forestry land in the state of Oregon
Image courtesy ODF OREGON – With the declaration of fire season on July 1 for the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Northwest Oregon and North Cascade protection districts, the entire state has now entered into official fire season on ODF protected lands. ODF’s Southwest Oregon District was the first of 12[Read More…]
Nearly 1,000 acres have burned on ODF-protected lands in 2019 so far
Forest Grove Fire & Rescue responded to reports of an out-of-control burn pile in Gales Creek on May 5. It turned out to be a false alarm. Photo: Chas Hundley SALEM – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) issued a warning that the window to safely burn debris has closed until[Read More…]