Mount Hood National Forest prohibits campfires, Oregon wildfire danger increases
As warm and dry weather is forecast to stick around, fire danger begins to increase in forests across the state. Here is where campfire bans and fire danger levels stand across forests.
Mount Hood National Forest prohibits all campfires
Beginning Friday, all fires will be prohibited in Mount Hood National Forest. This includes all campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires and any other open fires.
Portable cooking stoves, lanterns and heating devices using liquefied or bottled fuel are still allowed as long as they can be instantly switched off. Mount Hood National Forest is the first to announce a total fire ban in the state.
Oregon's hot weather has caused fire danger to rise and with the dry and warm long-term forecast, the risk for wildfire increases. Fire personnel anticipate the potential for fires to continue to remain high through the season, the agency said in a news release.
Willamette National Forest moves to 'high' fire danger
While the Willamette National Forest has not enforced public use restrictions for fire, the fire danger level has moved to "high" with guidelines for campfires.
The U.S. Forest Service recommended that campfires should be contained in a fire ring with a shovel and water in reach.
Campfires should be at least 5 feet away from any flammable materials including overhanging tree limbs and should be kept small. Updates can be found at fs.usda.gov/main/willamette/fire and will be updated as restrictions change.
Siuslaw National Forest increases to moderate fire danger
The Siuslaw National Forest elevated fire danger to moderate on Tuesday, but there were no fire public use restrictions in place. The Forest Service urged everyone to exercise caution with campfires in the forest. Fires should stay small and be 5 feet away from flammable materials including overhanging tree limbs.
Updated fire information for the Siuslaw National Forest can be found at fs.usda.gov/main/siuslaw/fire.
Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest remains in 'high' fire danger, extreme in Wild section
The Wild Portion of the Lower Rogue River is in extreme danger and will enter stage 3 public use restrictions beginning Friday. The Wild section flows from Grave Creek to the mouth of Watson Creek. Building, maintaining, or using a fire is prohibited under stage 3 restrictions.
The Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest moved to "high" fire danger on July 5. The Forest Service announced level 1 public use restriction that has been in effect since June 29.
Information on public use restrictions can be found at fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices.
Umpqua National Forest danger is 'high'
The Umpqua National Forest fire danger is set to "high" and all districts of the forest are under level 1 public use restrictions.
Campfires are allowed only within Forest Service constructed fire rings and fireplaces in designated recreation sites.
Details on public use restrictions in the Umpqua National Forest can be found at bit.ly/4bJrqSt.
Emma Logan is an outdoors journalism intern for the Statesman Journal. She can be reached at elogan@salem.gannett.com or on X @emmmalogan
This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Oregon wildfire danger rises, campfire restrictions begin
