The Siuslaw National Forest will implement public-use fire restrictions beginning Friday, a designation that means all campfires, charcoal or briquette fires, pellet fires or any other open fires are currently prohibited outside of designated campgrounds or recreation sites.
The restrictions will remain in place until further notice.
“Persistent hot and dry conditions bring a heightened risk of human-caused fire,” Northwest Oregon Interagency Fire Management Officer Kevin Reese said in a news release. “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.”
Exemptions are in place 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 since they can be instantly switched off.
Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building or a developed recreation site, officials said. Generators are permitted only in places devoid of vegetation such as paved areas or developed campsites.
In addition, motorized vehicles may operate only on designated trails and roads. Offroad and off-trail driving is permissible within the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area or Sand Lake Recreation Area as designated by the Siuslaw National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map.
For more information, see the Siuslaw National Forest website.