(TILLAMOOK, Ore.) – Foresters are now engaged in an all out effort to prevent wildfires on the Tillamook State Forest. So far during this year’s summer visitation season abandoned and un-attended campfires have been noted and then extinguished every weekend on the forest.
With the expected increase in forest visitation and camping in advance of the Eclipse it is only expected to get worse. Lighting a campfire outside of Designated Campsites is against the law and well documented on bright orange forest signs, but as Barb Moore, Tillamook Assistant District Forester has observed “nobody reads the signs”. That is why personnel normally associated with management of the forest, reforestation, harvest operations, and road repair are teaming with the Forest’s regular recreation staff to patrol, educate, and when necessary extinguish campfires outside of designated campfire areas.
As Moore noted “not everyone is a careful camper” and the forest staff will be doing what they can to protect the forest because we “know people go out, unprepared and uninformed on the dangers of fires”.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Please be safe out there. NO FIRES in Oregon State Parks, which include on the beaches.
NO FIRES outside of designated camping areas with fire pits. Please be careful out there.