Fire season ends on private lands

Wet weather last week rang the death knell for fire season on private lands.

On Wednesday October 27, the Central Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) lifted restrictions and terminated fire season.

The lifted restrictions apply to private forest lands both inside and outside of Rural Fire Protection Districts.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District has also lifted fire restrictions; burning is allowed.

Because regulations vary from private to federal/public lands, forest users should contact federal agencies for fire restrictions before entering federal/public lands.

The following ODF restrictions are no longer in effect on private lands within Central Oregon:

• Burn permits for burn barrels and burn piles, other than logging slash.

• Watchman service and fire equipment on logging operations occurring on private lands protected by ODF.

• Non-industrial chain saw use.

• Open fires such as campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires.

ODF is lifting these fire restrictions because of the favorable weather conditions. Fire officials ask that caution still be taken when having any kind of fire in the woods or in residential back yard.

"Now that fire season is over we can breath a collective sigh of relief," said Bob Young, Central Oregon District Forester. "With this first rain it is important to note that until we receive enough moisture to wet the larger fuels, fires can still cause problems."