East Washingtonian - Your Hometown News Source

PENDLETON, Ore.-Due to high fire danger, the Umatilla National Forest officials have implemented Phase B Public Use Restrictions as of Thursday, July 1, 2021. The increased restrictions pertain to the use of campfires, smoking, chainsaws, internal combustion engines, and generators. Because of the present conditions, the potential for human-caused fires and public safety has become an issue.

Beginning Thursday, campfires will ONLY be allowed in designated campgrounds and recreation sites. Liquefied or bottled gas stoves and heaters are allowed for cooking and heating. A list of designated recreation sites is available on the forest's website.

Operating an internal combustion engine, such as a chainsaw, is prohibited without a valid permit. Commercial and personal use firewood permits are regulated by the conditions of the permit and separate from restrictions under this public use restriction.

Generators will only be allowed in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is cleared of all flammable material, or; when fully contained within a pickup truck bed that is devoid of all flammable material, or; when factory installed in a recreational vehicle and the generator exhaust discharge is located in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that is cleared of all flammable material.

Smoking is only allowed within enclosed vehicles, buildings, and developed recreation sites or when stopped in an area cleared of all flammable material.

As a reminder, travel restrictions prohibit motor vehicles traveling off designated Forest roads and trails, except for the purposes of going to or from campsites located within 300 feet of an open road. Motorized travel on segments of road where access is blocked by gate, barricade, log, boulder or earthen berm is also prohibited. Vehicles must still abide by all laws and regulations pertaining to the area of travel.

Regulated closures may be in effect on State and private lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) in northeast and central Oregon. Please check with your local Oregon Department of Forestry office for PURs on lands protected by ODF. For more complete information, contact a local Oregon Department of Forestry office or visit one of the interagency dispatch center's webpages:

• Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch webpage: http://www.bmidc.org

• John Day Interagency Dispatch webpage: http://bicc-jdidc.org/index.shtml

Similar restrictions may also be in effect on State and private lands protected by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (WA-DNR). More information can be found on the WA-DNR website at: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/.

For more information about the Umatilla National Forest's Public Use Restrictions, please contact the Umatilla National Forest Information Hotline at 1-877-958-9663, or visit our website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/umatilla.