Campfire Restrictions (Stage 1) Effective on Wild Portion of Lower Rogue River Beginning June 17

SW Oregon - To provide for public safety and protect natural resources, officials with the Bureau of Land Management Medford District, the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, and the Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District are restricting campfire use 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.

The order is effective at 12:01 a.m. on June 17, 2024 until November 30, 2024, unless rescinded sooner. This order prohibits:

1. To build, maintain, attend or use a fire, except:
   1. Campfires are permitted only within a raised fire pan or similar device that will contain the fire and its residue, free of natural vegetation and below the high-water mark from Marial downstream to the mouth of  Watson Creek. All ashes are to be carried out.
   2. When using commercially produced pressurized liquid gas stoves. Cooking areas are to be naturally free of vegetation.
2. Each group is required to have a shovel and bucket.
3. Smoking, except:
   1. While aboard a watercraft while navigating or at rest on a waterway.
   2. On sand and gravel bars between the river and the high-water mark naturally free of flammable vegetation.
4. Possessing, discharging, or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device.

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

Additional fire restrictions may be put in place as fire season progresses, and will remain in effect through November 30, 2024, unless conditions allow them to be rescinded sooner.

BLM Fire restrictions can be found at: https://www.blm.gov/orwafire

The RRSNF website has the full Order at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/rogue-siskiyou

Interested in more information regarding fire safety notifications and regulations on public lands in southwest Oregon? Helpful sites include:

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