Oregon State Parks Fire/open flame ban!

[rhagfo]

We just got an update from our pear Ranger!

Be advised Starting Thursday July 22nd 2021. There is now a full fire ban in all Oregon State Parks and State managed forest land EAST of Interstate 5.

This includes Charcoal fires, cooking fires, warming fires, charcoal briquettes, Candles, Tiki torches and other devices that flames or embers. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottle fuels are allowed, though propane fire pits are NOT allowed!

[4x4van]

Dtank wrote:


So why the thread?..:h

Ummm...maybe to just make people aware before they head out? Why the angst?

[Dtank]

rhagfo wrote:
We just got an update from our pear Ranger!

Be advised Starting Thursday July 22nd 2021. There is now a full fire ban in all Oregon State Parks and State managed forest land EAST of Interstate 5.

This includes Charcoal fires, cooking fires, warming fires, charcoal briquettes, Candles, Tiki torches and other devices that flames or embers. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottle fuels are allowed, though propane fire pits are NOT allowed!

So why the thread?..:h

You go to the campground (if it's open) - and play by the rules that ARE the rules at the time.

Obviously they may change.....and you aren't going to say but, but.... "rhagfo" said -or didn't say- THAT !!

If the pear ranger says oranges and apples are OK - but no
pears - you do without the pears..:R

Right after that - he says, who the %*&#@ is Rhagfo??

~

[rhagfo]

ktmrfs wrote:

RedRollingRoadblock wrote:
Oregon State Parks Fire Update
Basically No Fires

https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.feature-article&articleId=285

Aug 13, 2021 Fire restrictions
Locations where campfires and beach fires are prohibited:

No campfires even in designated campfire areas. This includes charcoal fires, cooking fires, warming fires, propane fire pits, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames or embers.

*Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottle fuels and propane/liquid-fueled lanterns are allowed.
Ban applies to:

Everything east of I-5

All parks and campgrounds east of I-5 to the Oregon/Idaho border. Includes Columbia River Gorge state parks and southwest Oregon state parks.

Coastal

All state parks, campgrounds and beaches along the coast from the Lincoln County north border (Salmon River) to the Oregon/California border. Jessie Honeyman State Park ban in effect Aug. 12.
Short Beach near Oceanside on the north coast.

Willamette Valley parks

L.L. Stub Stewart
Champoeg State Heritage Site
Willamette Mission State Park
Willamette River Greenway properties

It's best to call the campground directly to get the most accurate info. For example, the above post says charcoal is prohibited at Champeog. The website last week said the same thing, However at the campground charcoal cooking fires ARE allowed, (at least all of this week, we left on friday) and people are using charcoal for cooking.

I asked a park ranger directly and they said info they recieved said charcoal cooking fires were allowed, contrary to the website.

But don't expect any campfires or propane fire pits in most campgrounds.

Best to plan on cooking with gas or electric, it is only getting dryer throughout the state. I am sure there isn’t a member on here that would want to be responsible for starting a wildfire?
I personally find charcoals to be the worst they throw so many embers anytime they are disturbed.
We live in the parks as full time host, we see the irresponsible things people do with fires.
The topper is the people who went to bed in their trailer with their propane fire pit still on!!
The Bootleg fire is still burning, and an Oregon State Park is currently being used as a fire camp to allow the firefighters to get a bit of rest.
I

[ktmrfs]

RedRollingRoadblock wrote:
Oregon State Parks Fire Update
Basically No Fires

https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.feature-article&articleId=285

Aug 13, 2021 Fire restrictions
Locations where campfires and beach fires are prohibited:

No campfires even in designated campfire areas. This includes charcoal fires, cooking fires, warming fires, propane fire pits, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames or embers.

*Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottle fuels and propane/liquid-fueled lanterns are allowed.
Ban applies to:

Everything east of I-5

All parks and campgrounds east of I-5 to the Oregon/Idaho border. Includes Columbia River Gorge state parks and southwest Oregon state parks.

Coastal

All state parks, campgrounds and beaches along the coast from the Lincoln County north border (Salmon River) to the Oregon/California border. Jessie Honeyman State Park ban in effect Aug. 12.
Short Beach near Oceanside on the north coast.

Willamette Valley parks

L.L. Stub Stewart
Champoeg State Heritage Site
Willamette Mission State Park
Willamette River Greenway properties

It's best to call the campground directly to get the most accurate info. For example, the above post says charcoal is prohibited at Champeog. The website last week said the same thing, However at the campground charcoal cooking fires ARE allowed, (at least all of this week, we left on friday) and people are using charcoal for cooking.

I asked a park ranger directly and they said info they recieved said charcoal cooking fires were allowed, contrary to the website.

But don't expect any campfires or propane fire pits in most campgrounds.

[RedRollingRoadb]

Oregon State Parks Fire Update
Basically No Fires

https://stateparks.oregon.gov/index.cfm?do=v.feature-article&articleId=285

Aug 13, 2021 Fire restrictions
Locations where campfires and beach fires are prohibited:

No campfires even in designated campfire areas. This includes charcoal fires, cooking fires, warming fires, propane fire pits, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames or embers.

*Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottle fuels and propane/liquid-fueled lanterns are allowed.
Ban applies to:

Everything east of I-5

All parks and campgrounds east of I-5 to the Oregon/Idaho border. Includes Columbia River Gorge state parks and southwest Oregon state parks.

Coastal

All state parks, campgrounds and beaches along the coast from the Lincoln County north border (Salmon River) to the Oregon/California border. Jessie Honeyman State Park ban in effect Aug. 12.
Short Beach near Oceanside on the north coast.

Willamette Valley parks

L.L. Stub Stewart
Champoeg State Heritage Site
Willamette Mission State Park
Willamette River Greenway properties

[ktmrfs]

even more restrictions in some state lands, including closing all non paved roads to ALL motorized vehicles.

August 10, 2021 at 9:20 pm PDT
In advance of another round of 100-degree days in the forecast, along with worsening drought conditions across the state, the Oregon Department of Forestry has decided to ban all campfires as well as the use of motorized vehicles on non-paved roads in a large swath of the Tillamook State Forest.

The impacted areas extend east along two major routes: from the Sunset Rest Area along Highway 26 (Milepost 29) and the Kings Mountain Trailhead (Milepost 25) off of Highway 6. The restrictions go into effect at 1 am Wednesday, Aug. 11.

“Given the extreme fire danger and extensive drought throughout the Northwest, ODF is taking this step to reduce the number of human-caused fires and allow firefighting resources to focus efforts on the current large fires as well as new fires likely to emerge,” Northwest area director Andy White stated in a press release. “We thank Oregonians for your understanding.”

Both hiking and camping will still be allowed, so you can expect popular destinations like Gales Creek Campground, Rogers Camp Trailhead and Elk Creek Campground to remain accessible for now. ODF says those sites are all close enough to paved roads, making them easy for firefighters to reach in case a blaze does break out. However, open fires are still prohibited, even if you’re staying overnight.

[4x4van]

rhagfo wrote:

4x4van wrote:
Not sure I understand the ban on propane firepits. What the difference between a propane firepit and a propane stove/grille?

Well because many don't think when using Fire pits. A stove or grill the flame is mostly enclosed, and maybe a couple inches in diameter. With a fire pit the pit is 18" to 24" across and I have seen flames about 18" tall! All it takes is a dry leaf to blow through that flame to start a fire.

I watched a guy in 84 degree weather at 11pm with a flame more than needed in 10 to 15 mph winds, really!

No cure for stupid, I guess. Sadly, the rest of us suffer.

[propchef]

There's a similar ban in NORCAL. Heavy restrictions on fires, complete bans on red flag days, including propane.

[rhagfo]

4x4van wrote:
Not sure I understand the ban on propane firepits. What the difference between a propane firepit and a propane stove/grille?

Well because many don't think when using Fire pits. A stove or grill the flame is mostly enclosed, and maybe a couple inches in diameter. With a fire pit the pit is 18" to 24" across and I have seen flames about 18" tall! All it takes is a dry leaf to blow through that flame to start a fire.

I watched a guy in 84 degree weather at 11pm with a flame more than needed in 10 to 15 mph winds, really!

[Grit_dog]

Since there wuz no campfires allowed, we just went and sat by the big campfire a couple miles up from camp…

[ktmrfs]

4x4van wrote:
Not sure I understand the ban on propane firepits. What the difference between a propane firepit and a propane stove/grille?

one allows you to have a way to cook. The other is generally for "ambiance". FWIW in oregon usually propane fire pits are allowed if they can be shut off with a valve. But when fire danger gets high enough banning propane fire pits eliminates one more possible source of a fire.

Right now most of oregon is tinder dry, even in the normally wet Portland area. roadside vegitation looks more like late august, even coast campgrounds have lots of brown vegitation. Eastern oregon is even worse.

It won't suprise me if some campgrounds and forest areas get closed to all access if this weather keeps up.

[4x4van]

Not sure I understand the ban on propane firepits. What the difference between a propane firepit and a propane stove/grille?

[ktmrfs]

It's official from the OSP fire restriction website.

Last year in Sept we were at the coast, even though no fires nearby we were prepared and at night had everything ready to go. During the day a Power line came down, wire across the road low enough that trailers couldn't get under.

Next morning about 8 am in came sheriff lights on, 30 minutes to get out, fire started and with only one road out they didn't want to risk it and were closing the campground.

he did say on the way in the crew had taken down the line and cleared the road. 15 minutes later we where on the way out. heavy smoke from a fire that started earlier and was moving fast.

Luckily the fire never made it to the road but lots of people had to evacuate from houses on the road and head to the fairgrounds for shelter.

[Grit_dog]

And WA, ID and MT. Probably CO WY and the rest of the western states.
Not surprising