Fireworks illegal on Public Lands

Fireworks illegal on Public Lands

LAKEVIEW, Ore. – As the Fourth of July approaches, the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership (SCOFMP) wants to remind residents, visitors and campers that fireworks including sparklers are illegal on public lands.

With continuing hot and dry weather conditions, fire danger is escalating. Visitors are asked to be careful with fire while enjoying their public lands.  This includes campfires, gas stoves and lanterns.

While fire conditions are increasing, the Industrial Fire Protection Level (IFPL) on federal lands is still a 1 and there are no public use restrictions in place.  For more information on the IFPL restrictions, please visit www.scofmp.org/lifc.shtml.  For information on specific restrictions in areas under ODF fire protection, please visit http://www.oregon.gov/ODF/Fire/Pages/Restrictions.aspx.

“We want everyone to have a safe and unforgettable Fourth of July, especially those enjoying public lands this weekend,” said Barry Shullanberger, Interagency Fire Staff Officer with the Fremont-Winema National Forest and Lakeview District Bureau of Land Management.  “We ask the public to help us by being careful with their campfires, stoves, grills, lanterns and anything that can throw a spark.”

The South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership is an interagency fire management program that provides comprehensive wildland fire service to south central Oregon and northwest Nevada. The partnership strives to achieve a more efficient, effective and integrated interagency fire management program for all participating agencies on the land administered and protected by each agency.

Participating agencies include: Fremont-Winema National Forest, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Lakeview District, Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge, Klamath Basin Refuge Complex, Crater Lake National Park and state lands protected by the Klamath-Lake District of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF).

For more information, contact Fire Information Officer, Sarah Saarloos with the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership at 541-219-0515 or ssaarloos@fs.fed.us. Daily wildfire/prescribed fire information, maps, social media links can be found SCOFMP Blog: http://bit.ly/2sK5YHY