Burn season closed

After deciding just last week that debris burning could continue a while longer, Central Oregon fire authorities reversed themselves and closed all burning last weekend.

Interim Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Chief Ken Enoch said, "We had another brush fire during (last week's) rain, so it's definitely drying out."

Enoch said he consulted with the Cloverdale and Black Butte fire chiefs and they all agreed that it was time to put a stop to debris burning. About that time, emails from other chiefs began circulating and the decision was made.

"The other chiefs were talking about shutting down burning on May 31, so that (was) the last day," Enoch said. "It's closed effective June 1. We want everyone to shut down at the same time to be consistent throughout Deschutes County."

Last week, local temperatures soared into the 80s, and that was enough to drive the moisture content down throughout the area. Fire Captain Thornton Brown headed up a crew that responded to a fire that occurred even during last Friday's rainstorm.

"It appears that it was some briquettes that were improperly disposed of," he said. "It got into the duff and was burning pretty well."

Brown said that the fire "wasn't very big, but it was smoldering underneath, even though the top layer was pretty wet due to the rain that came through."

So, until significant rains come again in the fall, the burning season is now officially closed in Central Oregon.