Today's Prescribed Burns

Four prescribed burns are planned in Jackson County today. Here are the approximate locations:

• A burn on private lands 18 miles northeast of Butte Falls
• A burn on private lands 13 miles north of Shady Cove
• A burn on BLM lands 4 miles north of Gold Hill
• A burn on private lands 11 miles north of Shady Cove

In Josephine County, the a burn on county-owned land will take place 4 miles southwest of Williams.

Today's Prescribed Burns

In Jackson County:

• A burn on private forestlands 11 miles north of Shady Cove
• Two burns on BLM lands 7 miles south of Jacksonville

In Josephine County:

• One burn on county land 4 miles southwest of Williams

SB 360 Public Meeting Tonight in Shady Cove

This meeting is to explain the process of identifying and classifying residential lands affected by the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act, sometimes referred to as Senate Bill 360. A presentation during the meeting will explain the land identification and classification process, and the fire prevention measures landowners are asked to take. Maps showing the areas affected by the Act will also be displayed at the meeting.

Maps at the meeting will illustrate the Shady Cove, Trail, Prospect and Butte Falls areas.

This meeting is being held because the Jackson County Forestland-Urban Interface Classification Committee is now reviewing residential lands located in areas where wildfires are likely to occur. The committee follows guidelines within the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act, and is a process that takes place every five years. The owners of lots included in these areas are required to reduce potentially flammable vegetation around homes and other structures, and improve driveway access for emergency vehicles.

Committee members and Oregon Department of Forestry employees will be available to answer questions about the land identification and classification process, and landowners’ fire prevention responsibilities under the Act.

The meeting will be held:

November 4, 6:30 p.m.
Jackson County Fire District #4
21200 Hwy 62, Shady Cove

Questions? Call Brian Ballou at the Oregon Dept. of Forestry, (541) 665-0662.

Today's Prescribed Burns in Jackson County

Five prescribed burns are scheduled for today in Jackson County. They will be located:

• 12 miles south of Ashland on private land
• 8 miles north of Butte Falls on private land
• 13 miles north of Shady Cove on private land
• 18 miles northeast of Butte Falls on private land
• 7 miles south of Jacksonville on Bureau of Land Management land

No prescribed burns are scheduled for today in Josephine County.

Prescribed Burns for Today

Two prescribed burns will take place today on private forestlands in Josephine County. One is located 12 miles south of Cave Junction and the other is 15 miles northwest of Grants Pass.

Also, two areas will be burned on private forestlands in Jackson County today. Both are approximately 12 miles northeast of Butte Falls.

Fuel Reduction Assistance Grants Available in Jackson County

Fuel-reduction assistance grants are available from the Oregon Department of Forestry. A grant pays up to $400 for a project that results in a 100-foot fuel break around a home, and along the home’s driveway. In general, guidelines for getting a fuel-reduction assistance grant are as follows:

• The lot must be within an approved grant area.
• A fuel reduction plan must be developed before the project begins.
• Both the ODF inspector and the landowner must agree to the plan.
• A completion date is established as part of the plan.
• A grant payment cannot be made for fuel-reduction projects already completed.

Also, by meeting the requirements of a fuel-reduction grant, a home will also satisfy the requirements of the Oregon Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act (SB 360).

Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of the project. Contact your ODF inspector and schedule an appointment for a final inspection. If the project has been completed according to the plan, both the ODF inspector and the landowner must sign a project completion form.

Completion of a fuel reduction grant project will greatly increase the chance of a home surviving a wildfire, but it is not a guarantee. Maintaining the fuel-reduction area is important. Periodic mowing of dry grasses, raking of dry needles and leaves, and removing dead vegetation will help to keep a fire from igniting in and spreading through a fuel break area.

In Jackson County, call Derick Burns or Herb Johnson at (541) 664-3328 to schedule a free fuel-reduction inspection and to start the grant process.

Grants are available whenever fire season is not in effect, generally from October through May.

Today's Prescribed Burns

In Josephine County, prescribed burns on private forestlands will take place southeast of Selma, south of Cave Junction, and north of Grants Pass.