Campfire Restrictions Increase to Stage 3 on Wild Portion of Lower Rogue River

“Extreme” Fire Danger, Stage 3 PURS and IFPL Level 3 Across the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest Beginning July 12, 2024

SW Oregon — The sustained heat wave, along with extremely dry fuel conditions, have prompted officials with the Bureau of Land Management Medford District, Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District to increase campfire restrictions on those lands located within the boundaries of the Wild section of the Rogue National Wild and Scenic River. The Wild section flows from Grave Creek to the mouth of Watson Creek.

Effective 12:01 a.m. on Friday July 12, 2024, there is a prohibition on building, maintaining, or using a fire. Charcoal briquettes will not be permitted. Commercially produced stoves that use liquid fuel or propane are allowed. Cooking areas need to be naturally cleared of vegetation. As a preventative measure, groups traveling on the river must have a shovel and bucket.

Additionally, smoking is only permitted while on watercraft on waterways, or in areas that are on vegetation-free sand and gravel bars located between the river and ordinary high water mark.

The BLM administers the stretch of the river between Grave Creek and Marial, where ODF Southwest provides initial attack for new fires. The Forest Service manages from Marial and downriver to the mouth of Watson Creek.

These restrictions will be in place through November 30, 2024, unless rescinded sooner. See the Forest Service order here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/rogue-siskiyou/alerts-notices/?aid=88781 and the BLM Fire Restrictions page for more information.

In addition, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest will be moving to “Extreme” Fire Danger, which includes Stage 3 Public Use Restrictions and a move to Industrial Fire Precaution Level 3 starting at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 12, 2024. Stage 3 PURs do not allow campfires anywhere on the forest, including developed recreation sites; however, propane cooking appliances are allowed. IFPL Level 3 is a partial shutdown allowing the use of mechanized equipment only between the hours of 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. These restrictions are in place until November 30, 2024 unless rescinded.

“The current conditions are representative of what we would typically see at the peak of fire season in August or early September. Even with some less hot weather on the horizon, our fuels will continue to dry and become even more readily available to burn,” said Acting Fire Staff Officer Jeremy Delack.

For more information and to see the full text of the orders, see the RRSNF and BLM websites.

As conditions across SW Oregon continue to be very hot and dry, and resources are actively suppressing multiple fires across the west, fire managers are reminding the public to be aware of fire danger, fire restrictions, and their important role in preventing human-caused fires.

Additional fire restrictions may be put in place as fire season progresses. For more information regarding fire safety notifications and regulations on public lands in southwest Oregon:

• The RRSNF Alerts and Notices page
• The BLM OR/WA Fire Restrictions Page
• Region 6 Interactive Fire Closure Map
• Follow the BLM, RRSNF and ODF on Facebook; and
• The SW Oregon ODF blog.

We can’t stress enough to those visiting public lands in southwest Oregon to be extremely vigilant for the duration of the fire season due to the widespread drought conditions and record-setting high temperatures. Don’t be the one spark that starts a wildfire. Under these extreme conditions, wildfires can grow very rapidly.