ODF: 2009 fire season officially over
From our weekly issue dated October 21, 2009
Fire season ended on Wednesday, Oct. 14, on land protected by the Oregon Dept. of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District. The season began June 19 and lasted 117 days.
The largest fire of the season was the 633-acre Deer Ridge Fire that broke out east of Medford on Sept. 21. Medford Unit crews responded to 120 fires that burned over a total of 1,073 acres. Grants Pass Unit firefighters took action on 116 fires that burned 123 acres.
The largest fire in the Grants Pass Unit was the 48-acre Lone Mountain Road Fire, which occurred Aug. 24 near O’Brien.
ODF’s S.W. Oregon District protects 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management land in Jackson and Josephine counties.
The fire danger level will be “low” (green), and all fire restrictions will be removed.
Woody debris pile and barrel burning now is allowed on ODF-protected land. 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 in Josephine County, phone 476-WOOD
Some cities do not allow open burning, and many rural fire protection districts require a burning permit. Phone the appropriate structural fire service provider before burning. Information about fire season restrictions is available at www.swofire.oregon.gov and from the ODF Medford Unit at 664-3328, and the Grants Pass Unit at 474-3152.
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