It seemed like fall in the Southern Willamette Valley – cooler mornings, overcast skies and even rain.
But, with this week’s forecasted highs in the mid to upper 80s, the Oregon Department of Forestry has raised the fire danger level in Lane County and parts of northern Douglas County.
Ironically, it was the cooler temperatures from earlier this month that were unusual…not this week’s heat. That’s expected for this time of year.
So, the fire level is now back up to blue or “moderate” in Lane County and parts of northern Douglas County. This means the use of gas powered equipment is restricted between 1 pm and 8 pm.
David Kjosness, spokesman for ODF, says while the cool nights are helpful, there’s still a risk.
Kjosness: “Just because it’s damp at night or maybe we get less than a tenth of an inch of rain overnight doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s not going to be pretty dry at 3 o’clock in the afternoon the next day.”
Kjosness says he expects the fire danger to remain at the current level for at least the rest of the week.
Campfires are also prohibited throughout the county, except in ODF approved campgrounds.
Here’s the list of approved campgrounds in Western Lane:
Whittaker Creek
Archie Knowles
Clay Creek
Smith River Falls
Vincent Creek
Honeyman Park may or may not allow fires at this time, but it is up to the park itself.
