WHEW! Fire Season Ends in Jackson, Josephine Counties

Fire season is over on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry's Southwest District. It officially ended this morning at 9 a.m. and all public and industrial fire-prevention regulations are lifted. This declaration affects state, private, county and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.

Though it got intense toward the end of the season with several dramatic fires, the year was actually pretty light for fires in Southern Oregon, the ODF reported. The fire danger level now is "low" (green).

Debris pile and barrel burning is now allowed on ODF-protected lands. However, open burning is regulated for air quality in all of Jackson County, and in the Rogue Basin Open Burn Control Area in Josephine County.

Before starting a burn, call the open burning advisory number for your county: Jackson County, 776-7007; Josephine County, 476-9663.

Some cities, such as Medford, do not allow open burning, and many rural fire protection districts require a burning permit. Call your local fire department before burning.

Fire season started June 16 and lasted 117 days; 246 fires burned 1,770 acres on ODF land this season. According to the 10-year averages, the district normally has 191 fires that burn 5,126 acres. The number of lightning-caused fires, 74, was higher than normal this year, but the number of acres burned by lightning, 1,390, was lower than normal. The number of human-caused fires, 172, was higher than normal but the number of acres burned, 380, was half of the 10-year average. District firefighters stopped 95 percent of the fires at 10 acres or smaller. The largest fire of the year was the 1,275-acre Doubleday fire south of Butte Falls in Jackson County and was caused by lightning in mid-September.

For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry's fire season regulations, contact the Southwest District's unit office in your area: Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Road, Central Point, (541) 664-3328; Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Drive, Grants Pass, (541) 474-3152.