Southwest Oregon Fire Season Starts Friday
ODF Southwest Oregon District says fire season begins May 15 on ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties, bringing new restrictions on debris burning, fireworks, campfires, smoking, and other fire-risk activities.
ODF Southwest Oregon District says fire season begins Friday, May 15, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. on ODF-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties. Image courtesy of ODF Southwest Oregon District.
JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES - Fire season will officially begin Friday, May 15, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands in Jackson and Josephine counties.
The Oregon Department of Forestry Southwest Oregon District said the declaration applies to approximately 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city, and Bureau of Land Management forestlands in the two-county district. Fire danger will begin at “Low,” shown as green on the district’s fire danger scale, while the Industrial Fire Precaution Level will begin at IFPL I.
ODF said winter and spring rainfall are trending slightly below normal for the water year, while minimal snowpack and drought conditions in Jackson and Josephine counties are contributing to dry vegetation. As the region continues moving toward warmer, more summer-like weather, fire risk and fire behavior are expected to increase.
The start of fire season brings public use restrictions for activities known to cause fires.
Debris burning will no longer be allowed, including burn piles and debris burned in barrels. Fireworks will also be prohibited on or within one-eighth of a mile of ODF-protected land.
Exploding targets, tracer ammunition, and any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge in its base will also be prohibited.
Campfires will be allowed only in designated campgrounds, on BLM land, and on private land with the landowner’s permission. ODF said designated campground locations are available at swofire.com/maps. Where open fires and appliances are allowed, users must have one shovel and either one gallon of water or a 2.5-pound fire extinguisher available.
Portable appliances, including camp stoves and fire pits using liquefied or bottled fuels, are allowed anytime in cleared areas free of flammable vegetation. ODF defines a cleared area as an area free of flammable vegetation for 50 feet in all directions.
Charcoal and pellet barbecues or smokers will be allowed at residential home sites that are fully developed, landscaped, and maintained, but only when used in a cleared area free from flammable vegetation. A charged garden hose or a 2.5-pound fire extinguisher must be immediately available.
Smoking while traveling will be allowed only inside enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and in other specifically designated locations.
ODF Southwest Oregon District’s 2026 public use restrictions chart outlines activities allowed or prohibited at each fire danger level during fire season. Image courtesy of ODF Southwest Oregon District.
Electric fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories, or certified by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. They must also be installed and used according to the manufacturer’s fire-safe operating instructions.
The start of fire season also activates industrial fire regulations. Under IFPL I, fire season requirements are in effect, including a required firewatch unless otherwise waived.
ODF Southwest Oregon District said residents can contact its local offices for more information about fire season regulations. The Medford Unit, located at 5286 Table Rock Road in Central Point, can be reached at 541-664-3328. The Grants Pass Unit, located at 5375 Monument Drive in Grants Pass, can be reached at 541-474-3152.
Cover image: Flames burn through forestland during the 2022 Van Meter Fire near Klamath Falls. The file photo is being used as a visual reference for Southern Oregon wildfire risk as ODF Southwest Oregon District prepares to begin fire season in Jackson and Josephine counties. File photo by Brian Gailey / Klamath Falls News.
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