The Siuslaw National Forest is restricting fires in its forests and campgrounds because of warm, dry weather.
All campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires, or any other open fires are now prohibited outside of designated recreation sites or campgrounds. There are exemptions for sand camping campfires in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area and Sand Lake Recreation Area. Portable cooking stoves and lanterns using liquefied or bottled fuel are allowed as they can be instantly switched off.
Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle, building or a developed recreation site. Generators are permitted only in places devoid of vegetation such as paved areas or developed campsites. Motorized vehicles may operate only on designated trails and roads. Offroad and off-trail driving is allowed within the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area or Sand Lake Recreation Area.
“Persistent hot and dry conditions bring a heightened risk of human-caused fire,” said Kevin Reese, fire management officer for Northwest Oregon Interagency Fire Management. “We’ve seen an untick in fire activity across Oregon over the last few days, including in the Coast Range. Our fire crews and aviation resources stand ready, but we need the public’s help to prevent human-caused fire starts.”
Additional fire information is available on the Siuslaw National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/siuslaw/fire.