August 22, 2019 10:30 a.m.
Fire officials with the Douglas Forest Protective Association want to remind hunters about the current fire restrictions as bow season begins on Saturday.
Kyle Reed from DFPA said those restrictions either restrict or prohibit high risk fire activities which could easily start a new wildfire.
Under DFPA’s Public Use Restrictions, smoking is prohibited in wildland areas, except inside vehicles. Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, cooking fires, and warming fires, except in designated campgrounds. Portable cooking stoves using liquified or bottled fuels are allowed elsewhere.
The restrictions also impact vehicle use in wildland areas. All vehicles, including dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles that are traveling in wildland areas, must have a good working exhaust system and stay on improved roads that are free of flammable vegetation. Off road driving and trail riding is prohibited. Each vehicle must be equipped with an axe, a shovel, and a gallon of water or a 2.5 pound or larger fire extinguisher.
Reed said other activities that are currently restricted or prohibited include the use of non-industrial power saws, fireworks, tracer ammunition, exploding targets and sky lanterns.
In addition to the DFPA restrictions, industrial landowners and public land management agencies may have additional fire restrictions or closures on the lands they own or manage. Hunters and other forest users should check with landowners or land management agencies for the places they wish to hunt or recreate on, before heading to the woods.
For more information on DFPA’s Public Use Restrictions and links to related information go to www.dfpa.net.