Hot weather prompts shift in precautions for logging in region

For those who work in the Tillamook State Forest and surrounding forests protected by the Oregon Department of Forestry, logging and other commercial activities will need to shift certain activities out of the hottest parts of the day as much of the region moves to Industrial Fire Precaution Level 3 beginning Thursday morning. 

According to ODF’s Forest Grove District Forester Mike Cafferata, weather zones NW-2 and NW-3 will move to IFPL 3 beginning 1 a.m. Thursday,  September 3, while the more coastal NW-1 will move to IFPL 2 at the same time. 

For the general public, NW-1 will move to “High” fire danger from moderate also at 1 a.m. on Thursday. This will mean that the entirety of the Northwest Oregon Forest Protective Association region, which stretches north to the Columbia River, west to the Pacific Ocean, south to Sheridan, and east to parts of Gales Creek, the Killin Wetlands outside of Banks and to Scappoose will be on “High” fire danger ahead of a significant heat wave expected to roll into Oregon this week. 

In a phone call on Tuesday with the Salmonberry Magazine, Cafferata said he would be surprised if NW-2 and NW-3 do not get bumped to “Extreme” fire danger ahead of Labor Day weekend. 

More information on fire restrictions, as well as detailed real time maps, can be found here. 

Pulling data from ODF forecasters, Cafferata gave a brief overview in an email to industrial forest users of what September could look like. 

“The weather appears dry as far as out as the forecast looks, and we may get dry east winds next week. The long term forecasts are still calling for a damp September, although now they are saying the second half of September,” he wrote. 

ODF weather information can be found here.