Private Forestland Owners are an Important Partner in Preventing Forest Fires

As Oregon approaches summer forest fire season, public firefighting agencies across the state are training and preparing personnel, getting equipment ready and planning for emergency response scenarios. But in addition to federal, state, regional and interagency fire resources, the private landowners of Oregon are a vital partner in preventing devastating forest fires.

About 35 percent of Oregon’s forests, roughly 10.7 million acres, are privately owned. Industrial timber owners manage 6 million acres while 4.7 million acres of forest are owned by families or small-tract woodland owners.

Private forest owners – the first line of fire defense

Oregon law requires forest landowners and those who work in the forest to control and extinguish wildfires that occur on their land. If that isn’t possible, the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) or a regional forest protective association must respond and extinguish the fire.

Forestland owners pay a forest patrol fee, part of their annual property tax statement, to meet basic forest firefighting requirements. During 2009, ODF crews responded to 988 fires across the state, covering just over 7,000 acres. Most fires were stopped at just a few acres, - before they became large, costly incidents that threatened communities or made the news thanks to the swift initial attack response of firefighters and private landowners.

Owners of large forest holdings and small woodlands – as well as people who simply enjoy a home in a forested setting – all have responsibilities as fire season approaches. Here are some things to think about during this period:

Check your fire equipment.
Acquire basic forest firefighting equipment suitable to your circumstances, and ensure that it is in good working order. Your local fire protection district will have additional guidance specific to your region of the state, including fire suppression factors for your unique land conditions (for example, terrain, fire characteristics, rules based on land ownership, etc).

Create defensible space around structures and homes on your property.
Remove overgrown or dead vegetation at least 30 feet from structures to reduce the potential of a forest fire spreading to a building.

Make sure the spark arrestor screens on power saws are in good shape.
Even if you are using a chain saw in the woods for personal uses, fire prevention rules still apply in Oregon’s forests.

Have your fire extinguishers recharged and inspected.
Keep a working, charged fire extinguisher with each vehicle, and keep an extinguisher on board power equipment such as riding lawn mowers and weed cutters while they’re in operation.

Have an emergency water source for fire suppression and pumps available.
If it’s feasible, consider building a pond to provide a water supply for pumps. Deeper large ponds in flat, clear areas free of overhead obstructions can also be accessed by helicopters for water dips to assist aerial attack on fires.

Construct and maintain fire breaks along public roads that adjoin or pass through your property. Reduce the amount of vegetation that could catch fire – or block an emergency vehicle from entering your property.

Operate equipment in your forest in compliance with fire regulations that apply to your region. Get familiar with both the Restricted Use Closure (RUC) and Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) systems used for fire prevention in Oregon’s forests. Additional information about RUC and IFPL are available on the Oregon Department of Forestry website.

Use the same fire precautions at your forest home as you do in the forest.
If an IFPL 3 condition has logging operations in your area shut down from noon to 8pm due to high potential for fire, please don’t mow your tinder-dry lawn or burn yard trimmings.

Understand the fire triangle that increases forest fire potential – high heat, low humidity and strong winds. These three natural forces converge to create a higher risk for forest fires.

If you see a fire in Oregon’s forests, call 9-1-1 immediately.

For additional information about forest fire safety, fire prevention and forest management, visit ODF online.

Thanks in advance for your help in protecting public safety, property and Oregon’s forests.

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Kevin Weeks is a public information officer with the Oregon Department of Forestry. He can be reached at (503) 945-7427.

Jackson County Forestland-Urban Interface Committee Meets May 26

The Jackson County Forestland-Urban Interface Classification Committee meets May 26, 9:00 a.m., at the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd. The committee will begin reviewing forestland-urban interface identification and classification maps and other materials created by the previous classification committee, which completed its findings in October 2004.

The forestland-urban interface identification and classification process is described in the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act, also known as Senate Bill 360. The findings of the 2004 committee identified more than 12,000 lots in Jackson County that were within 122 forestland-urban interface areas.

The committee focuses on developed urban and suburban lands that are in areas where potentially destructive wildfires are likely to occur, and where there is a structural density of at least four dwellings per 40 acres. Owners of these lands are required to reduce potentially flammable vegetation around structures and along driveways.

For more information about the committee and the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act, contact Brian Ballou at (541) 665-0662.

To ensure the broadest range of services to individuals with disabilities, persons with disabilities requiring special arrangements should contact (541) 664-3328 at least two working days in advance.