Tillamook State Forest closed to public use

The Tillamook State Forest is closed to the public, as are other forestlands protected by the agency in northwest Oregon due to extreme wildfire danger and limited firefighting resources.

In an alert issued Wednesday afternoon, the agency said that the order applied to the Tillamook, Clatsop, and Santiam State Forests, as well as scattered tracts of forestland under ODF’s purview in Polk, Lincoln and Benton counties. 

“Anyone currently in these areas needs to leave right away,” the notice read. 

The Santiam will remain closed until further notice; other forests may reopen Sunday, September 13 at 11 p.m.

“We can’t really staff anything beyond initial attack with any force, and can’t really get any help from the larger system. Just a couple more days everyone,” said a joint email from three ODF district foresters tasked with protecting the Tillamook State Forest just before midnight Tuesday.