Despite Recent Rains, Fire Danger Remains Extreme

Extreme Fire Danger StockBEND, OR — While much of Central Oregon has enjoyed measurable rain over the past week, officials say it was not enough to lower the wildfire risk.  Central Oregon’s fire danger remains extreme, and most likely will stay there in the coming weeks.  Kassidy Kern with the Deschutes National Forest said the recent showers were very hit and miss.  She added the vegetation was so dry that is would take weeks of additional rain to negate what the summer weather has done.

Kern said fire restrictions remains for the area, in hopes to greatly reduce the likelihood of a human caused fire.

“When we need to draw our attention away from what we know are going to be lightning starts, to address a human caused fire, it really does take away from what we really should be focusing on right now, which are the natural starts which we don’t have control over.”

Public use restrictions as well as an Industrial Fire Precaution Level III (IFPL III) are still in place for Federal lands in Central Oregon.  The public use restriction currently prohibits open fires, including charcoal fires, except in designated campgrounds.  The IFPL III means that personal and commercial woodcutters are prohibited from operating power saws.  Public use restrictions and the IFPL III apply to the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, Crooked River National Grassland, and the BLM Prineville District.

For details on these specific restrictions, please contact the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center at (541) 416-6811.

If you see local news happen, call the Horizon Broadcasting Group News Tip Hotline at 541-323-NEWS, or email us.

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Beaver Walk & Beaver Believers Screening

Beaver Natural History Walk & Restoration Site Tour, 4-5 pm Followed by a screening of The Beaver Believers and Q &A Hosted by Maureen Thompson, Beaver Works Program Manager and Kolleen Miller, Education Director for The Upper

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8th Annual Locavore Gala & Fundraiser

We invite you to be a part of something extraordinary – an evening that transcends the ordinary and celebrates the heart of our community. Central Oregon Locavore proudly presents its 8th Annual Gala and Fundraiser, a special