By DANA TIMS/YachatsNews.com
Extreme drought conditions have triggered an immediate ban of fires on open beaches and in Oregon State Parks day-use areas along Oregon’s central coast. On Friday, Aug. 13, state parks will ban all campfires in its parks from Lincoln County south to the California border.
“This is extremely rare,” said Chris Havel, Oregon State Parks’ associate director. “But these extremely dry conditions are driving our decisions.”
Beach burn bans are common in Coos and Curry counties, Havel said. They are far less common in Lincoln County and farther north.
“We had a statewide ban in 2020 that affected the entire ocean shore,” he said. “Over the last 20 years, they are rare, but in the last couple years they are becoming more common.”
The state ban applies to fires on beaches and in coastal day-use areas in Lincoln County south to Oregon’s border with California, Havel said. The ban includes wood, charcoal briquettes, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames and embers. Propane stoves and other cooking devices that have a shutoff valve are allowed.
There have been two beach fires recently near Lincoln City and Oceanside that spread from the sand into dry grasses, shrubs and trees.
On Friday, Oregon State Parks will initiate a ban on campfires in all state parks from Lincoln County to the California border, said Dylan Anderson, mid-coast park manager.
The Lincoln County Fire Defense Board – made up of fire chiefs from throughout the county — announced a complete burn ban effective Friday, Aug. 13, to include outdoor debris burning and recreational fires throughout the county.
“Oregon is entering its second consecutive dry summer and is bracing for what has already proved to be another devastating wildlife season,” the board said in a news release. “While some wildfires are a natural part of Oregon’s landscape, the fire season in Oregon and across the West is starting earlier and ending later each year. Sadly, we are no exception in Lincoln County.”
Siuslaw National Forest officials on Tuesday announced a ban on all campfires across the national forest, including in all campgrounds and sand camps, as of Friday, Aug. 13.
“It has been an extremely dry and busy fire year already in Oregon,” said Kevin Larkin, acting forest supervisor. “With so many fires burning in other parts of the region, resources to quickly address new fires are becoming difficult to find. With fire danger across the Siuslaw right now starting to look like it did last Labor Day, when the catastrophic Echo Mountain fire took off in Lincoln County, we’re asking for everyone’s help to prevent new fires from getting started.”
Lanterns and cooking stoves that use liquid or bottled gas fuel can still be used during the campfire ban; open flames with no on/off switch, such as tiki torches and candles, are not permitted while the ban is in effect.
- Because of conflicting statements from state parks officials, YachatsNews reported incorrectly on Friday, Aug. 6 that the beach fire ban would start Aug. 13. It was an immediate ban.
It’s a shame that there are so many irresponsible people around that ruin everything for those of us that chose play by the rules. There is already a law against fires in the grass or brush areas. Bringing dry, combustible wood down to the sand for a safe enjoyable fire makes sense. But noooo! I’d like to blame it all on the tourists, but there’s plenty of locals as well.