BAKER CITY, Ore. (July 22, 2024) — Wallowa-Whitman National Forest fire prevention team have upgraded the Forest’s Public Use Restrictions to PUR Phase C effective at 00:01 Tuesday, July 23.
With tinder dry forest fuels and high daytime temperatures, conditions are prime for potential human-caused forest fires. We ask that you be extremely careful when out on the forest.
Campfires are prohibited. Liquid and bottle gas stoves only.
No internal combustion engine operation, except for motor vehicles.
Smoking is allowed only in enclosed vehicles and buildings, developed recreation sites, or cleared areas.
No off-road or off-trail vehicle travel. No travel on roads not cleared of standing grass or other flammable material (pictured below); no vehicle travel on those Forest Service roads where access has been impeded or blocked by earthen berm, logs, boulders, barrier, barricade, or gate, or as otherwise identified in the Fire Order.
Separate rules apply within a ¼ mile of the Wild and Scenic portions of the Snake River and Grande Ronde River (fs.usda.gov/alerts/wallowa-whitman/alerts-notices). Public lands in Idaho administered by the Wallowa-Whitman follow separate Idaho Fire Restrictions (idahofireinfo.com/p/fire-restrictions.html).
There is a lot of smoke across Northeast Oregon. Please be safe, check on family and friends with respiratory problems, and stay smoke ready by visiting https://www.airnow.gov/
For more information on fire restrictions, contact a Forest Service office or visit our websites: http://bmidc.org/restrictions.shtml or www.fs.usda.gov/wallowa-whitman http://bluemountainfireinfo.blogspot.com/
Remember, if you see a wildfire, Call 911.