Public Use Restrictions Begin June 28th

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Drying fuels and increased fire danger has prompted the Douglas Forest Protective Association and the Bureau of Land Management to implement Public Use Restrictions throughout the entire Douglas District, effective June 28TH, 2019, at 12:01 a.m.  These fire prevention measures will be in place on all 1.6 million acres of private, county, state, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Affairs lands that are protected by DFPA, this includes all areas within Douglas County Fire District #2.

While the Public Use Restriction do not prohibit public access to the forest, they do restrict certain fire prone activities which are known to start wildfires.  Under the Public Use Restrictions, the following provisions are set to help prevent wildfires:

·   Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and at other designated locations.

·   Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except at designated sites.  Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed elsewhere. 

Designated sites include:

BLM designated sites: Cavitt Creek Falls Recreation Site, Eagleview Group Campground, Millpond / Lone Pine Recreation Site, Rock Creek Recreation Site, Scaredman Recreation Site, Susan Creek Campground and Tyee Recreation Area.

Douglas County Park’s designated sites:  Amacher Park, Douglas County Fairgrounds, Pass Creek Campground, Stanton Park, Chief Miwaleta Campground, and Whistler’s Bend Campground.

Other designated sites:  Seven Feathers RV Resort and Umpqua Riverfront RV Park & Boat Ramp.

·   The use of fireworks are prohibited. 

·   Motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, are only allowed on improved roads free of flammable vegetation, except for the culture and harvest of agricultural crops.  In addition, each vehicle traveling on forest roads must have an axe, shovel and one gallon of water or one operational 2½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.  All-terrain vehicles and motorcycles must be equipped with one operational 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.

·   Any electric fence controller in use shall be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services and be operated in compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

The official fire danger for the Douglas District can be found online at www.dfpa.net or on this website on the left column or by calling DFPA’s 24 hour information line at (541) 672-0379 and applies to the following restrictions.

·   The use of non-industrial power saws are allowed all day during LOW fire danger.  This activity is permitted before 1:00 p.m. or after 8:00 p.m. during MODERATE fire danger and before 10:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. during HIGH fire danger. During Extreme fire danger, non-industrial power saw use is prohibited.  Each power saw is required to have one shovel and one fire extinguisher of at least 8 ounce capacity.  In addition, a fire watch is required for at least one hour following the use of each saw.  On BLM managed lands in the Roseburg and Coos Bay Districts, the use of non-industrial power saws or other equipment with internal combustion engines used for felling, bucking, skidding, or wood cutting is prohibited unless a permit has been issued. 

·   The cutting, grinding or welding of metal for non-industrial purposes is allowed all day during LOW fire danger.  This activity is permitted before 1:00 p.m. or after 8:00 p.m. during MODERATE fire danger and before 10:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. during HIGH fire danger. During EXTREME fire danger, the cutting, grinding or welding of metal is prohibited.  These activities can only be conducted in a cleared area, free of flammable vegetation and a charged garden hose or one 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher must be immediately available.  The cutting, grinding or welding of metal is prohibited on BLM managed lands in the Roseburg and Coos Bay Districts.

·   The cutting, trimming or mowing of dried, cured grass is allowed all day during LOW fire danger.  This activity is permitted before 1:00 p.m. or after 8:00 p.m. during MODERATE fire danger and before 10:00 a.m. or after 8:00 p.m. during HIGHfire danger. During Extreme fire danger, the cutting, trimming or mowing of dried or cured grass is prohibited. The culture and harvest of agricultural crops is exempt from this requirement.

·   Any non-industrial improvement or development taking place on private property that utilizes power driven machinery may operate all day during LOW fire danger.  These activities are permitted before 1:00 p.m. or after 8:00 p.m. during MODERATE fire danger and before 10:00 a.m. or after 8 p.m. during HIGH fire danger.  During EXTREME fire danger, these activities are prohibited unless a waiver has been issued.  Each piece of power driven machinery working is required to have one shovel and one 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher.  In addition, a fire watch is required for at least one hour once the equipment has completed work for the day.

In addition to the Public Use Restrictions, the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition are prohibited within the Douglas District during fire season and the use sky lanterns are prohibited year-round in Oregon.  Backyard debris burning, including the use of burn barrels, remains prohibited.  Additional fire restrictions or closures may be in place through private industrial landowners or other public land management agencies on the lands they own or manage. See Link for DFPA’s helpful color guide.

JOB OPENINGS!

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Douglas County Fire District No. 2 is currently accepting applications for entry and lateral Firefighter/Paramedic. Please see our “Job Openings” tab at the top of the page for more information about the job posting and application or use this Link.

FIRE SEASON BEGINS JUNE 11TH!

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The 2019 fire season officially began Tuesday, June 11th at 12:01am on all lands that are protected by the Douglas Forest Protective Association. The declaration of fire season imposes certain fire restrictions on both the general public and industrial operators to help prevent wildfires.

With the declaration of fire season, the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition are prohibited within the Douglas district. In addition, the use of sky lanterns are prohibited year-round in Oregon. Public use restrictions are not yet in effect, meaning there are no time restrictions yet on lawn mowing, power saws and weed eaters. This will change as the fire danger increases.

The start of fire season also means the end of unregulated outside debris burning for rural Douglas County residents. Fire officials recommend checking any debris piles that were burned earlier this spring. If not properly extinguished, burn piles have the potential of smoldering for weeks, or even months, before popping back to life on a warm, windy day.

The declaration of fire season also means the start of industrial fire regulations. On Tuesday, the entire Douglas District will go into Industrial Fire Precaution Level I (one). During IFPL I, smoking is prohibited while working on, or traveling through, and industrial operation. In addition, specified fire tools and suppression equipment must be on site and ready for use at all industrial operations taking place within the Douglas district. A fire watch is also required once work has completed for the day.

WILDFIRE AWARENESS MONTH PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON MAKING HOMES SAFE FROM WILDFIRE

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May is Wildfire Awareness Month in Oregon, and federal, state and firefighting agencies are encouraging homeowners to make sure their homes are protected from wildfire.

The Oregon Department of Forestry, Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal and Keep Oregon Green, in collaboration with Oregon forest protective associations, the Office of Emergency Management and federal wildland agencies, are taking this opportunity to promote defensible space around homes before fire strikes this summer.

“The roof is the most critical part of the house when it comes to wildfire protection,” says Oregon State Fire Marshal Jim Walker. “Embers can collect and ignite on the roof, in gutters and enter unscreened openings around the house. Although non-combustible roofing material is preferred, regardless of the construction, keep roofs, gutters and eaves clear of all leaves, pine needles and other flammable debris.”

To reduce the risk, fire officials suggest removing dead vegetation a minimum of 30 feet around your house and other structures. In most cases, trees and healthy plants do not need to be removed. However, trees should be pruned and grass kept short and green to keep fire on the ground and more manageable by fire crews. Maintain a five-foot fire-free area closest to the home using nonflammable landscaping material and fire resistant plants.

“Defensible space is a property’s first line of defense against wildfire,” says Oregon Department of Forestry Fire Prevention Coordinator Tom Fields. “Creating and maintaining defensible space around homes can improve your property’s likelihood of surviving a wildfire. Having defensible space also makes it safer for firefighters who may have to defend someone’s home.”

Homeowners should also consider access issues for large fire trucks. Long driveways should be at least 12 feet wide, have 10 feet of vegetation clearance from the centerline out, and about 14 feet overhead. Large vehicle turnaround areas are critical for your safety as well as firefighter safety.

Should a fire occur near a community, Oregon Office of Emergency Management Director Andrew Phelps encourages residents to be prepared if an evacuation is necessary. “Wildfires can come without warning and move quickly, so residents need to prepare now in case they have to leave their home,” Phelps said. “Make sure to put together a ‘Go Kit,’ register for emergency notification systems in your community, and make a plan where your family will go and how you will stay in contact if evacuated.”

It is the homeowner’s responsibility to protect their homes by building defensible space. For more information, visit the websites for the Office of State Fire Marshal, the Office of Emergency Management, Keep Oregon Green and the Oregon Department of Forestry, or call your nearest ODF or forest protective association office.

Additional information on preparing for wildfires can be found on the Ready.gov website.

Notice of Budget Committee Meeting

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A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the MedCom Ambulance Authority, Douglas County, State of Oregon, to discuss the budget for fiscal year July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020, will be held at 1290 NE Cedar Street, Roseburg, Oregon. The meeting will take place on the 6th day of June at 11AM. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget message and to receive comment from the public on the budget. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after May 11, 2019 at Douglas County Fire District No. 2 Headquarters at 1400 Buckhorn Road, Roseburg between the hours of 8AM-4:30PM.

This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee.

Douglas County Fire District No. 2 Burning Regulations

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The following residential “backyard” burning regulations are in effect during burn season:

Residential (Backyard) burning includes DRY yard debris, trimmings and clippings only. The burning of standing berry vines, grass or weeds, paper, wood products, plastics, auto parts, tires, wire insulation, household garbage, construction materials, materials from land clearing or other non-yard debris items is prohibited. Backyard burning may not be done on another person’s property or on vacant lots.

Backyard burning is only allowed during daylight hours and shall not be conducted within 50 feet of any structure or other combustible material or property line. Clearance from structures and other combustible materials may be reduced as follows: Not less than 15 feet when burning is conducted in an approved burning appliance such as a burn barrel, or not less than 25 feet when the burn pile size is no larger than 3 feet in diameter x 2 feet high.

Fires shall be supervised (direct line of sight) by an adult at all times. Tools and/or garden hoses to control or extinguish the fire must be available on site at all times.

A permit from Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is required for Industrial, Commercial, Construction Waste and Demolition Waste.

Douglas County has numerous alternative methods available to residents. For a list of these alternatives please refer to: Recycle Power.org or call (541)440-4268