28 The Mainline Safety & Health Forest contractors are encouraged to plan for a safe and fire-free season! Normal contractor diligence should deploy fire precautions on every jobsite, throughout the summer—while also paying attention to unexpected dry days before and after declared fire season. 2024 Summer Fire Hazard Forecast is “Normal” for Oregon Forests During declared forest fire season, Oregon operators can expect summer’s normal warm-dry conditions, primarily during July through September. Forest Fire Weather Forecast Plan for a Normal Dry Industrial Summer Season ›By Rex Storm, Executive Vice President The most recent May 1 ‘National Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook’ forecast for Oregon forests calls for average temperature and summer precipitation for all Oregon forestland zones, during July through August. However, “above normal significant fire potential” is forecast for the rangelands of Southeast Oregon. “Normal significant fire potential” for Oregon forests this summer is forecasted by the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise. Significant fire potential is the likelihood that large forest wildfires could readily ignite, rapidly spread, and demand extraordinary firefighting effort and cost. The Pacific Ocean is cooling, triggering a La Nina weather pattern that is likely to return by end of the summer across the Pacific Northwest, as predicted May 9 by the National Weather Service. La Nina winters are generally cooler and wetter in the Northwest. On May 9, Cascades snowpack was 131% of average, but Deschutes, Crook, Lake, and Klamath counties were in “moderate drought.” Few Industrial-Caused Fire Starts Last Summer 2023 Contractor forest fire prevention and initial attack were successful last summer in 2023! Despite July through September’s punishing dry conditions, industrial forest operators and their crews effectively prevented and extinguished most all operation fires. Continue Great Prevention in 2024! This summer, contractors and timber purchasers can expect many days of regulated Oregon industrial fire restrictions/shutdowns, which would reduce production days and hours. Plan ahead, adjust plans weekly, and design fire-safe operations. And, plan in-advance to request regulation waivers, as appropriate. Contractors should never let-down their guard concerning fire precautions! Please keep wildfire prevention at top-of-mind for your jobsites, as Oregon forests make their way to drier periods this month and throughout the 2024 declared fire season. Negligence and Liability Oregon forest operators are reminded that the burden for jobsite fire precaution compliance rests with the contract
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