May 11, 2021 3:50 a.m.

Fire Season on lands protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District will begin on Wednesday.

Public Information Officer Natalie Weber said the fire danger will be classified as “low” and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be at 1. Weber said lands affected include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.

A release said since the beginning of March, the district has responded to more than 50 fires totaling more than 100 acres. Warm temperatures, windy conditions and a lack of spring rain are among the contributing factors that increased fire starts and growth. Weber said fuels across the region are also much drier than normal, reflecting late June-like conditions, in mid-May.

Starting Wednesday, the burning of debris piles and the use of burn barrels for burning debris will no longer be allowed in the two counties.

More information about fire season is available at www.swofire.com.

Kyle Reed of the Douglas Forest Protective Association told News Radio 1240 KQEN that DFPA staff is monitoring fire conditions and weather patterns in Douglas County, but has not yet determined when fire season will begin in this area.