Bryant Fire Update

South Central Oregon Incident Management Team, Leland Hunter

For Immediate Release: June 20, 2014 (9 a.m.)

Fire Information

Bryant Fire

·         The fire has grown to 800 acres and is burning in pine, slash on a northeast aspect.

·         Firefighters worked through the night trying to get a line around as much of the fire as they could but spotting continues to be an issue.

·         Predicted heat and winds will add to the complexity of this fire.

·         At this time there is no containment.

·         There are structures in the area, however none are in immediate danger. The Klamath County Fire Chief John Ketchum will be working with local fire department to provide structural protection assessment and needs.

·         A Type 2 State Fire Team has been ordered and will take the management of the fire at 6 p.m. this evening.

·         Additional resources are needed and orders are pending.

·         Private landowner JWTR is assisting in the fire suppression efforts with the use of their personnel and equipment.

·         Please try to avoid the fire area as there are multiple vehicles used for fire suppression and they vary in size, making many of the roads single lane.

Location: Private Lands Bryant Fire

Date Started: June 19, 2014

Cause: Under investigation

Size:  800 acres

Containment:  0%

Injuries: 0

Total Personnel: 150

Resources: Handcrews: Winema Hotshots and Crew 7 Water Tenders: 3 Dozers: 3 Engines: 9 Air Support: Helitack Crew Overhead:15

 

For information, you can contact, Lakeview Interagency Fire Center (541) 947-6223

 

Inciweb Website: www.inciweb.org/incident/

 

For breaking news during the South Central Oregon’s fire season, please visit: twitter.com/scofmpfireinfo or facebook.com/scofmpfireinfo

Spring 2014 OPEN BURNING WINDOW ENDS

 

The 2014 Spring Open Burning Window within the Klamath County Air Quality Zone ended on Saturday, April 19, 2014 at  5:00 pm. Outdoor burning will not be allowed inside the air quality zone after 5:00 p.m. Saturday April 19.  

The Klamath County Free Cleanup day will be Saturday May 10, 2014, for yard debris. Residential yard waste, such as tree limbs, brush, and leaves may be taken to the county Landfill from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Outdoor burning of residential yard waste, such as tree limbs, brush, and leaves is allowed OUTSIDE the Air Quality Zone with your local Fire Districts approval.

The Log Rack Preparing Your Wood Stove for Spring and Summer

Spring is here and the weather is warmer, now is the time to inspect and clean your wood burning stove. Starting from the top inspect your chimney cap if you have a screen mesh on the cap make sure it is in tact. If you don’t have a screen on the cap you might want to consider putting one on the cap to keep birds and insects from entering your chimney. Check your chimney for creosote, after a long hard winter’s burning it is time to clean your chimney. Thoroughly clean the chimney inspecting your chimney pipe and flue tiles. Take a good look at your black pipe, after a few years of burning the pipe will need to be replaced. Black chimney pipe will start to corrode from heat and creosote build up. By squeezing the sides of the pipe if it starts to feel soft then it needs to be replaced. Remove all ash from the wood stove firebox. You can use a shop vacuum with a micro filter. Inspect any moving parts inside your stove such as dampers and inside air controls. It is a good idea to oil these parts to prevent rust during the summer months. A light coating of oil will help to keep these parts moving. If any parts need to be replaced now is the time to order them from your local stove shop. It may take a while to get these parts in and you don’t want to wait till fall to replace them. Check the fiberglass gasket around the doors and window glass. The gasket is designed to keep your wood stove air tight. Use the dollar bill test. Open the door and place a dollar bill over the gasket and close the door. If you can pull out the dollar bill then it is no longer air tight and needs to be replaced. Worn out gaskets can allow carbon monoxide to leak into your home. If your wood stove has a firebrick lining inspect them for crumbling. If they are just cracked you don’t have to replace them. The firebricks sole purpose is to retain and radiate heat. If the firebricks have crumbled you may want to replace them. If your wood stove has a catalytic combustor you will want to remove and clean it. If you notice that it is crumbling it is time to replace it. A worn out catalytic combustor decreases the efficiency of your wood stove and puts more pollutants into the air. You might want to consider putting a fresh coat of paint on your wood stove. Make sure you use high temperature stove paint. Over the years the black paint lightens and turns grey. There are many designer colors available for wood stoves to match any décor. Now that you have thoroughly cleaned and inspected your wood stove you may want to consider putting a fireplace deodorant into the firebox. During the spring rains moisture will condense in your chimney and run down the pipe. This will bring the smoke and creosote smell into your home. The fireplace deodorant lasts a few months and will eliminate the smell.

Amendments to Oregon Smoke Management Plan and the Oregon State Implementation Plan for Air Quality

 

Oregonians have the chance to comment on the Oregon Smoke Management Plan, a document that outlines ways to manage and minimize the impacts of smoke all across the state. The plan specifically aims to reduce the public health risks caused by prescribed forest burning, while at the same time trying to reduce forest fuels that can cause major wildfires. Each year the Department of Forestry manages approximately 150,000 acres of prescribed forestry burning across the state, much of which in close proximity to populated areas.  Many residents contact DEQ about smoke in their community, and this is an opportunity for people to comment on the proposed changes to the plan.  Some of the proposed changes include:

 

·         Additional provisions to protect visibility at Crater Lake National Park and the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, both Oregon Class I areas.

·         Additional provisions to encourage greater use of alternatives to burning and emission reduction techniques.

·         Eliminating the La Grande Special Protection Zone and reducing the size of the Medford SPZ boundary.

·         Smoke monitoring for prescribed burns over 2,000 tons.

 

DEQ and ODF will hold several public hearings at these locations on this rulemaking:

 

1.      La Grande, Oregon

The La Grande Library, 2006 4^th St

Time:  6 p.m.

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2014

 

2.      Bend, Oregon

DEQ Eastern Region Office

475 NE Bellevue, Suite 110

Time:  6 p.m.

Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2014

 

3.      Veneta, Oregon

Lane Fire Authority, 88050 Territorial Hwy

Time:  6 p.m.

Date:  Tuesday, March 4, 2014  

 

4.      White City, Oregon

Jackson County Roads & Parks, 200 Antelope Rd

Time:  6 p.m.

Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2014

 

5.      Klamath Falls, Oregon

CU Auditorium, OIT, 3201 Campus Dr.

Time:  6 p.m.

Date: Thursday, March 6, 2014  

 

Click here to view the rulemaking documents. Oral and written comments will be accepted at the hearing. There will be a brief presentation of the proposal before inviting your spoken or written comment. Written comments may be submitted anytime to DEQ through the online comment forms accessible through the website or as described in the rule packages, but comments must be received no later than 5:00 pm on March 12, 2014.

Air Quality Violation of a resident on Joe Wright Rd burning trash. (tires, metal and garbage) Only yard debris may be burned on Green days outside the Air Quality Zone and inside the Air Quality Zone durning the Fall and Spring Open Burning Window. All fires must be out by sunset.

Amendments to Oregon Smoke Management Plan and the Oregon State Implementation Plan for Air Quality   Oregonians have the chance to comment on the Oregon Smoke Management Plan, a document that outlines ways to manage and minimize the impacts of smoke all across the state. The plan specifically aims to reduce the public health risks caused by prescribed forest burning, while at the same time trying to reduce forest fuels that can cause major wildfires.   Each year the Department of Forestry manages approximately 150,000 acres of prescribed forestry burning across the state, much of which in close proximity to populated areas.  Many residents contact DEQ about smoke in their community, and this is an opportunity for people to comment on the proposed changes to the plan.  Some of the proposed changes include: Additional provisions to protect visibility at Crater Lake National Park and the Kalmiopsis Wilderness, both Oregon Class I areas. Additional provisions to encourage greater use of alternatives to burning and emission reduction techniques. Eliminating the La Grande Special Protection Zone and reducing the size of the Medford SPZ boundary. Smoke monitoring for prescribed burns over 2,000 tons. DEQ and ODF will hold several public hearings at these locations on this rulemaking: La Grande, Oregon The La Grande Library, 2006 4th St Time:  6 p.m. Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2014 Bend, Oregon DEQ Eastern Region Office 475 NE Bellevue, Suite 110 Time:  6 p.m. Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 Veneta, Oregon Lane Fire Authority, 88050 Territorial Hwy Time:  6 p.m. Date:  Tuesday, March 4, 2014  White City, Oregon Jackson County Roads & Parks, 200 Antelope Rd Time:  6 p.m. Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2014 Klamath Falls, Oregon CU Auditorium, OIT, 3201 Campus Dr. Time:  6 p.m. Date: Thursday, March 6, 2014  Click here to view the rulemaking documents. Oral and written comments will be accepted at the hearing. There will be a brief presentation of the proposal before inviting your spoken or written comment. Written comments may be submitted anytime to DEQ through the online comment forms accessible through the website or as described in the rule package, but comments must be received no later than 5:00 pm on March 12, 2014. This email was sent to calkins.larry@deq.state.or.us using GovDelivery, on behalf of the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) · 811 SW 6th Avenue · Portland OR 97204 · 503-229-5696

THE AQ ADVISORY FROM Noon Wednesday February 5, 2014 TO NOON, Thursday

February 6, 2014 IS GREEN.

 

The Green Advisory Call means:

 

WITHIN THE AQ ZONE, ALL WOODSTOVES, PELLET STOVES AND FIREPLACES  MAY BE USED FROM Noon Wednesday February 5th to NOON  Thursday February 6th.

 

Ø  OUTSIDE THE AQ ZONE, ALL WOODSTOVES, PELLET STOVES AND FIREPLACES MAY BE USED.

 

Ø  OUTDOOR OR OPEN BURNING PROHIBITED INSIDE THE AIR QUALITY ZONE.

 

Ø  OUTDOOR OR OPEN BURNING IS ALLOWED OUTSIDE THE AIR QUALITY ZONE.

 

  

ONLY USE SEASONED DRY WOOD IN YOUR WOODSTOVES.

 

For a map of the Air Quality Zone and other information, CONSULT OUR WEBSITE AT then

http://www.klamathcounty.org/ click on Environmental Health.