Fire danger in Grants Pass was lowered from extreme to high Wednesday as light rainfall, cooler daytime conditions and declining overnight temperatures provided enough improvement for fire officials to ease some of the restrictions that have governed outdoor equipment use during the height of wildfire season.
The September 2 change takes effect immediately and expands the hours when residents may operate chainsaws, mowers, weed eaters, generators, wood splitters and other equipment capable of producing heat or sparks. The adjustment provides additional working hours for property maintenance and outdoor projects while leaving substantial fire-season restrictions in place across the city.
Under the high fire danger designation, power-driven equipment may be used before 10 a.m. and after 8 p.m. Grinding, metal cutting, welding and other spark-producing work are subject to the same schedule when performed near flammable vegetation. Mowing dried or cured grass is also prohibited during the 10-hour daytime restriction period, although green, irrigated lawns may be mowed throughout the day.
The change follows a period of comparatively favorable weather that brought light precipitation and cooler temperatures to the Grants Pass area. Those conditions reduced the immediate fire danger enough to move the city out of the extreme category, but they have not eliminated the seasonal hazards associated with dry grass, brush and other vegetation capable of carrying fire.
Open wood-fueled fires remain prohibited, including campfires, warming fires and cooking fires outside locations specifically designated by the Grants Pass Fire Marshal. Charcoal barbecues, wood smokers and propane or natural gas ornamental fires remain permitted.
Smoking continues to be prohibited around flammable vegetation, while motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles and other motor vehicles remain restricted to improved roads free of combustible vegetation, apart from agricultural activities involving the cultivation or harvesting of crops.
Additional safeguards remain mandatory for chainsaw operations. Operators must have a shovel and fire extinguisher available and maintain a fire watch for at least one hour after the saw has been shut down. Other spark-emitting internal combustion equipment used near flammable vegetation must operate within a cleared area during permitted hours, with a charged garden hose or qualifying fire extinguisher immediately accessible.
The lower danger designation marks an improvement in local fire conditions heading into September, but Grants Pass remains under active fire-season regulations. The restrictions will continue to govern activities capable of starting fires until conditions improve sufficiently for additional changes.
The Grants Pass Fire Marshal may authorize written modifications or waivers to the restrictions when appropriate. Current fire-season information is available through the Grants Pass Fire Prevention Bureau at 541-450-6200.