SOUTHERN OREGON, —ODF announced Monday, fire season will begin Wednesday in Jackson and Josephine Counties. ODF says the agency’s fire season starts this Wednesday at 12:01 A.M.
The fire danger level will start in “Low,” and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be 1. The lands affected include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city, and Bureau of Land Management forestland in Jackson and Josephine Counties.
ODF says since the beginning of March, the district has responded to more than 50 fires, totaling more than 100 acres.
“There were a number of factors that went into this decision, one we are getting more consistent dry weather, the rain we have had in the forecast hasn’t materialized, so we’re getting to those consistent conditions of summer and that’s been drying out fuels a lot,” said Natalie Weber, ODF spokeswoman.
Weber says ODF is not used to seeing these conditions this early. Some years fire season has started as late as June Last year it started May first.
With fire season starting Wednesday, burning of debris piles and burn barrels will no longer be allowed in Jackson and Josephine Counties.
Fire season in Klamath and Lake counties will begin Saturday.
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