Fire season is not over in Sisters Country

Despite cooler temperatures and recent moisture in Sisters Country, fire officials are reminding residents and visitors of Sisters that fire season is not over.

“While we haven’t seen the wildfire activity in Central Oregon like we have in recent years, we need everyone to remember it’s still August and there is significant warm dry weather ahead of us,” said Gordon Foster, Prineville-Sisters Unit Forester for the Oregon Department of Forestry.

Several factors are used to determine the end of fire season, including weather and fuel moisture. Ignoring the regulations in place could be very dangerous.

Sisters Fire Chief Johnson said, “We are still in fire season and weather forecasts are calling for a couple weeks of warm and dry conditions.”

Late summer and early fall can be dangerous wildfire seasons in Sisters Country. On September 9, 2012, the Pole Creek Fire started just west of Sisters. The fire eventually burned over 26,000 acres and filled Sisters with dense smoke for most of September.

In recent years, the Central Oregon Fire Chief’s Association has announced the end of fire season and the start of residential open debris burning around November 1. The typical season runs about six months and concludes generally around Central Oregon’s scheduled Fire Free Days. Fire Free is an annual local program where residents can take their yard debris to local landfill stations for free drop-off.

ODF notes that, as part of a regulated-use closure, campfires are not allowed on lands protected by ODF unless in a designated location. With archery season beginning Saturday, hunters should know the current restrictions before heading to their favorite hunting spot. Hunters should be prepared for cool nighttime conditions and remember that warming fires are prohibited.

Activities below are restricted. Additional restrictions can be accessed at http://www.Oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Restrictions.aspx.

•?Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required while traveling in a motorized vehicle, except on federal and state highways, county roads and driveways: one shovel and one gallon of water or one operational 2-1/2-pound or larger fire extinguisher, except all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles which must be equipped with an approved spark arrestor in good working

condition.

•?Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads.

•?Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except in designated areas.

•?Mowing dried grass with power-driven equipment is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., except for the commercial culture/harvest of agricultural crops.

•?Use of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, is prohibited, except on improved roads and except for vehicle use by a landowner and employees of the landowner upon their own land while conducting activities associated with their

livelihood.

•?The use of tracer ammunition or exploding targets is illegal within the District during fire season. As of January 1, 2017, sky lanterns and other luminaries are prohibited in Oregon.