July 10, 2023 3:00 a.m.

All Oregon Department of Forestry districts are now in fire season.

An ODF release said that means fire restrictions and danger levels may be in place.

ODF protects over 16 million acres of private, county, state, and federal land from wildfire. Most districts start their fire season around May or June, and the season ends around the end of October. This year, the Southwest Oregon District was the first to declare on June 1st and the North Cascade District was the last to declare on July 1.

ODF Fire Protection Division Chief Mike Shaw said, “We are experiencing some active fire behavior for this early in the season”. Shaw said, “Heading into late summer, which historically has higher fire activity, ODF is ready to protect Oregon lands. However, prevention is our number one tool to reduce property loss and firefighting costs. We need the cooperation of Oregonians to do that so we don’t strain our resources on fires that could have been avoided”.

The release said travelers are reminded to not park their vehicle over dried grass or drag tow chains. Other wildfire prevention tips include:

*Make sure campfires are cool to the touch before going to sleep or leaving a camp site.

*Go back and check on debris burn sites to make sure nothing reignites due to the heat

*Don’t flick cigarettes on the ground as it may be just enough to start a grass fire

For more information on how to prevent wildfires, go to www.keeporegongreen.org