ODF: Fire Season to Begin June 1 in Southwest Oregon

Central Point, Oregon- The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Southwest Oregon District will officially usher in the 2025 fire season on Sunday, June 1 at 12:01 a.m., placing the fire danger level at “Low” and initiating Industrial Fire Precaution Level I across the region.

The declaration affects approximately 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.

Consistent snowfall and rainfall throughout southern Oregon helped keep early season wildfires to a minimum through spring, with fire activity picking up only in late April as temperatures began to rise. Since then, the district has responded to 12 fires, burning a total of 22 acres. Officials say recent sunny and windy conditions have gradually dried out vegetation, increasing the likelihood of fire activity as summer approaches.

The start of fire season also brings new regulations aimed at reducing wildfire risk. Effective June 1, the following activities will be prohibited:

No debris burning, including the use of burn barrels. No fireworks on or within one-eighth of a mile of ODF-protected lands. No exploding targets or tracer ammunition, including any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge. Campfires will be allowed only in designated campgrounds or on private land with the landowner’s permission. Portable stoves using bottled or liquefied fuels may be used in vegetation-free areas at any time. Smoking is permitted only in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, on boats on the water, or in designated areas. Electric fence controllers must meet national safety standards and be installed according to fire-safe guidelines.

Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level I, fire season requirements are now in effect for commercial operators. This includes the mandatory implementation of a Firewatch, unless officially waived.

For more information on fire season regulations, the public is encouraged to contact their local ODF office:

Medford Unit: 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point — (541) 664-3328 Grants Pass Unit: 5375 Monument Dr., Grants Pass — (541) 474-3152

Fire officials urge residents and landowners to stay informed and prepared as summer conditions develop.