Wildfire managers ask public to use caution this weekend with high temperatures
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2023
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. – The agencies of the South-Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership (SCOFMP) remind area residents and visitors to use caution with anything that can start a wildfire this weekend as we will see temperatures into the 80’s with a cold front to follow. Gusty winds are expected on Monday and Tuesday.
This includes burning piles and debris. Residents in Klamath and Lake counties should only burn on days when weather conditions allow. Burn piles must be attended at all times and is the financial responsibility of the landowner if it escapes. Last weekend firefighters responded to one escaped burn pile that grew to 1 acre in size.
This weekend’s forecast includes hot temperatures and gusty, shifting winds as a cold front enters the area on Monday and Tuesday.
Area landowners must work with local fire departments for burn permits and follow local regulations and requirements. Last year most of the early season fires started from escaped burn piles and winds contributed towards fire spread.
“Weather is going to make a major swing from well below average temps to well above average temps this weekend,” stated Randall Baley, Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Protection Unit Forester in Klamath Falls. “This is a perfect time to get things cleaned up, but don’t be fooled as high temperatures make fuels more vulnerable to burn. In addition, there is a frontal passage that will be coming in early next week which will provide strong winds. Please remain vigilant and help prevent unnecessary wildfires.”
Landowners are encouraged to clean up around their property in preparation for the upcoming fire season. However, fuels should be disposed of at an appropriate time, as weather and conditions allow for it to be done safely.
More information can be found at https://www.klamathcounty.org/383/Air-Quality or www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/pages/burn.aspx.
Even those planning to recreate this weekend on public or private lands are asked to use caution with anything that can spark a wildfire. Warming fires and campfires should never be left unattended and should be fully extinguished and cold to the touch before leaving.
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South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership provides comprehensive wildland fire services to more than eight million acres of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management Lakeview District; Fremont-Winema National Forest; Oregon Department of Forestry Klamath-Lake District; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Klamath Basin and Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complexes; and Crater Lake National Park. The area encompasses federal, state, and private lands within south central Oregon and northwest Nevada.
