Wildfire Season Ends in Parts of Oregon Today

Three more Oregon Department of Forestry districts in western Oregon are declaring an end to their local fire seasons and dropping industrial fire precaution restrictions starting Tuesday, Oct. 5. The three are West Oregon, Western Lane and South Cascade districts. They serve Lane, Benton, Lincoln, Polk, and the southern part of Linn and Yamhill counties. The NorthCascade and Northwest Oregon Districts ended their fire seasons on October 1.

Recent rains in the districts have reduced fire danger to low, along with shorter day lengths and cooler temperatures. District officials caution that people should still exercise care when planning any outdoor burning as fires can escape control even outside of fire season.

Although fire danger levels have dropped around most of Oregon, fire season remains in effect in all other O.D.F. districts pending further improvement in their local fire-risk conditions.

Oregon State University’s Christopher Dunn, an expert on wildfire risk and management, says Oregon saw, “A lot of fire on the Western Cascades this year.”  He points out the Jack fire is still burning, and has been for months.

The Bull complex of wildfires is also still burning on about 25,000 acres in Marion and Clackamas Counties.  It’s about 20% contained.