Fire danger level decreases to 'high' in Josephine County, Jackson County

Following rain and cooler temperatures across Southern Oregon, the fire danger level on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District will decrease to "high" on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 12:01 a.m. This affects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county and Bureau of Land Management lands in Josephine County and Jackson County. The Industrial Fire Precaution Level will remain at Level II.

The primary difference between current fire prevention restrictions and those beginning Sept. 12 affects the public use of power-driven equipment, such as chainsaws, mowers, weed eaters and more. The use of power-driven equipment, grinding, cutting of metal, and other spark-emitting equipment, such as wood splitters and generators, will now be allowed until 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. daily. Green lawns may be mown at any time.

Other fire prevention regulations which will remain in effect include:

• No debris burning, including piles and debris burned in burn barrels.
• No fireworks on or within 1/8th of a mile of ODF-protected land. Fireworks are prohibited on all BLM land.
• Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base, are prohibited.
• Campfires are allowed only in designated campgrounds. Portable stoves or fire pits using liquefied or bottled fuels may be used in other locations that are clear of dry vegetation at all times.
• Motorized vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain, are allowed only on improved roads; one shovel and one gallon of water, or one 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher, is required while traveling.
• Smoking while traveling will only be allowed in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water and other specifically designated locations.
• Chainsaws may not be used between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. during high fire danger. During hours outside of this time frame, chain saws may be used but require that the operator have one shovel and one 8-oz or larger fire extinguisher at the work site. A fire watch is also required for one hour after each chainsaw use.
• Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. during high fire danger. These activities will be allowed during hours outside of this time frame only if the work site is cleared of potentially flammable vegetation and other materials, and a water supply is at the job site.
• The mowing of dead or dried grass with power-driven equipment is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. during high fire danger. This restriction includes gas, electric and battery-operated equipment. This restriction does not include mowing of green lawns, or equipment used for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
• Any other spark-emitting internal combustion engine-use not specifically mentioned is not allowed between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. during high fire danger. Use of any spark-emitting internal combustion engine is allowed outside of this time frame only if the work site is cleared of potentially flammable vegetation and other materials, and a water supply is at the job site.
• Any electric fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, and be installed and used in compliance with the fence controller's instructions for fire safe operation.

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