Information from our partners:
CONTACT: Matt Smith
Fire Chief, Crook
County Fire & Rescue
Chair, Central
Oregon Fire Chiefs Association
541-447-5011
The Central
Oregon Fire Chiefs Association (COFCA) announces the date of closing for
residential and private lands open debris burning across the tri-county region
in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson Counties. Burning debris piles on
private lands in much of central Oregon will not be allowed at sunset on May 31 this year as the area heads into
the summer wildland fire season. Please check with your local jurisdiction for
their updated burn designation.
“In
order to best serve our residents throughout central Oregon with fire and EMS
protection, Central Oregon Fire Chief’s each year, jointly select a common
closing date to avoid escaped residential debris burns on private lands”, said
Matt Smith, Fire Chief, Crook County Fire & Rescue, and Chair of Central Oregon
Fire Chiefs Association.
“Many
areas in Central Oregon are drying out quickly and local, state and federal
wildfire suppression resources can be quickly needed as the conditions continue
to dry out,” Chief Smith said. “Even though specific
areas in Central Oregon still may receive a bit of rain or even a spring snow
shower before or after the closure, the region as a whole is quickly
approaching fire season conditions that create unsafe conditions for
residential outdoor debris burning,” adds Chief
Smith.
The
Central Oregon Fire Chief’s Association strongly urges homeowners to prepare
their property for the upcoming fire season now before there is smoke on the
horizon. Homeowners and residents who have yet to prepare their
properties for the upcoming fire season with adequate defensible space will
have three options for woody debris removal until fall and burn season opens
again: chip the debris; haul to a local transfer site; or pile and cover until
fall.
Central
Oregon Fire Chief’s federal partners (US Forest Service & Bureau of Land
Management) could possibly be executing
prescribed burns throughout the region in preparation of fire season even after
burn season closes on private lands. These prescribed burns will be conducted
under carefully planned conditions such as: with federal fire resources,
professional fire managers and firefighters on scene, favorable weather
conditions, and carefully planned locations.
These prescribed burns improve forest health and reduce the forest fuels in
order to lower the wildfire risk to our communities that is ever present later
in the season when the conditions are even more extreme. Creating fire
resilient landscapes with prescribed burns is a critical component to
implementing the National Wildland Fire Cohesive Strategy.
Residents
are strongly encouraged to contact their local fire protection agencies for
additional burning information and regulations. All Central Oregon fire departments and rural fire districts will
continue to monitor weather and fuel moisture conditions in their district and
may make modifications on a day-to-day basis.
Please call your local outdoor burning information line for your current
conditions. If conditions become dryer, individual agencies may choose to close
local burning sooner. Fire agencies will monitor fuels and fire conditions
throughout the summer and anticipate the opening of burn season again in late
fall.