SALEM, Ore. — All Oregon Department of Forestry districts have entered fire season as of June 15, raising the possibility of fire restrictions in areas where people live or plan to visit this summer.

The move makes the Northwest Oregon Area, which includes Lincoln County and much of the Oregon Coast, the final region to declare fire season this year. The Central Oregon district was the first to do so on May 8.

“Looking at the current conditions and projections for the summer, ODF is prepared to have another busy fire season,” said Michael Curran, ODF Fire Protection Division chief. “Oregonians need to be practicing wildfire prevention and emergency preparedness NOW.”

Fire season declarations are made at the local district level when conditions increase the risk of fires starting and spreading. ODF protects more than 16 million acres of private, county, state and federal land from wildfire.

Curran stressed that prevention remains the most effective defense.

“Prevention is our number one tool to reduce property loss, firefighting costs, and risk to the lives of our firefighters,” he said. “We can’t prevent lightning fires, but we can prevent human-caused fires.”

ODF offered these key prevention steps:

• Know before you go. Campfires may be banned or allowed only in approved campgrounds. Check current restrictions for your destination.
• Fully extinguish campfires. Make sure fires are cool to the touch before leaving or going to sleep. Use the “Drown, Stir, Repeat” method.
• No fireworks on forest land. Private use of fireworks is prohibited on all lands protected by ODF, including private forestland and other state and federal forests in Oregon. City and county rules may add further limits.
• Debris burning rules. Burning generally requires a permit during fire season or may be banned outright. Check earlier spring burn sites to ensure nothing has reignited from residual heat.
• Cigarette caution. Never discard cigarettes on the ground or from a vehicle.
• Vehicle safety. Do not park or idle over dry grass. Avoid dragging tow chains or other equipment that could create sparks.
• Stay informed. Check local fire danger levels and any active restrictions before heading out.

With tourist season underway, the declaration applies directly to Lincoln County residents and visitors using nearby forests, campgrounds and coastal recreation areas.

Current fire restrictions and danger levels can be checked on the ODF website at oregon.gov/odf/fire or through local fire authorities.