Azalea Rural Fire District

05/08/2026

DFPA SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT
USE CAUTION WHEN BURNING YARD DEBRIS

Sunny days may be perfect for yard work, but they can also create conditions that allow fire to spread quickly. With warmer temperatures in the forecast, it is especially important to take all precautions before burning.

If you plan to burn yard debris, make safety your top priority. Over the past decade, escaped debris burns have accounted for the largest number of fires outside fire season in the Douglas District, making them a leading cause of preventable wildfires.

Please note: DFPA is no longer issuing permits for industrial logging slash burning this spring. The permitting process will reopen after the 2026 fire season, when conditions allow. If you burned piles during the winter or spring, take time to check them carefully and ensure all residual heat is fully extinguished to prevent reignition as temperatures increase.

Before burning yard debris, check weather conditions. Avoid burning during warm, dry, or windy weather, and follow these essential safety tips:

• Check Local Regulations
o Contact your local fire department to confirm burning is allowed in your area, as restrictions can vary by district.
• Consider Safer Alternatives
o Composting, chipping, or recycling yard debris are effective options.
o If burning is necessary, cover your pile with plastic and wait for cooler, calmer conditions.
• Burn Only Natural Debris
o Materials such as rubber, plastics, garbage, petroleum products, and treated wood are prohibited and hazardous.
• Keep Piles Small and Manageable
o Smaller piles burn more quickly and are easier to control.
• Prepare Your Burn Site
o Clear a trail around the pile, down to mineral soil, before ignition.
• Have Tools Ready
o Keep a shovel and a charged garden hose on-site and never leave a fire unattended.
o Stay until it is completely out.
• Act Quickly If It Escapes
o Call 911 immediately if your burn gets out of control.

Even after flames are gone, danger can remain. Debris piles can smolder for days and reignite under warm or windy conditions. Always check previous burn sites to ensure they are fully extinguished.
Remember: if your fire escapes, you are responsible for suppression costs and any damage caused. These costs can range from hundreds to millions of dollars.

Take the extra time to burn safely—or wait for better conditions.

Only You Can Prevent Wildfires.
Together, we can Keep Oregon Green.

05/08/2026

05/01/2026

DFPA NEWS RELEASE: May is National Wildfire Awareness Month

ROSEBURG, ORE: May is National Wildfire Awareness Month, and in the Douglas District, conditions are already signaling the potential for an early and active fire season.

Record-breaking warm winter temperatures, ongoing drought, and little to no snowpack have left fuels dry and highly susceptible to ignition. These environmental factors are beyond our control, but most wildfires are not.

In 2025, 80% of wildfires in the Douglas District were human-caused, burning 312 acres. While that’s a decrease from 2024, it highlights an important reality: most wildfires are preventable. Now is the time to act.

Create and maintain defensible space around your home, clear dry vegetation, remove debris from roofs and gutters, and keep flammable materials away from structures. These simple steps can make all the difference when fire threatens your property. Now is also the time to ensure your vehicle maintenance is up to date, as vehicle fires account for the most human-caused fires throughout the district. Don’t drag chains while towing.

Lastly, before heading outdoors or starting any activity, know the rules. The 2026 Public Use Restrictions on lands protected by DFPA include:

• No debris burning, fireworks, or tracer ammunition at any time
• Campfires allowed only in designated sites
• Motor vehicles restricted to improved roads
• Equipment use and mowing are limited by fire danger levels and time of day

If you must burn yard debris outside of fire season, use extreme caution. Escaped debris burns are among the leading causes of fires outside fire season.

Avoid burning during warm or windy conditions and always check with your local fire department before burning.

Follow safe burning practices:
• Consider alternatives like composting, chipping, or recycling
• Burn only natural vegetation, never garbage, plastics, or hazardous materials
• Keep piles small and manageable
• Clear down to mineral soil around your burn pile
• Have a shovel and a charged water source on site
• Stay with your fire until it is completely out

Residents who burned debris piles should check to ensure they are fully extinguished, as old piles can smolder and reignite on warm, windy days.
If your burn escapes, call 911 immediately. You may be held responsible for suppression costs and damages, which can range from hundreds to millions of dollars.

Do your part, stay informed, and speak up.

Visit dfpa.net for full 2026 restrictions and fire season updates.
One spark can change everything. Don’t be the cause.

Keep Oregon Green. Prevent Wildfires.

04/02/2026

🌼✈️ Spring Break is fun… but what about your summer plans? 🔥🌲

Since 1912, DFPA has been protecting lives, resources, and property from wildland fire — and we’re hiring for the 2026 fire season.

🚒 Wildland Firefighters (Hand & Engine Crews)
📡 Dispatchers
🎥 Detection Camera Operators

📅 Apply now | Reviews in April | Interviews in May | Start in June

Trade a few weeks of vacation for a summer of purpose, teamwork, and real impact.

👉 Apply today. Protect tomorrow. Keep Oregon Green.

03/22/2026

03/22/2026

🌲🔥
Spring is here — and it’s the perfect time to get your defensible space ready for wildfire season.

A few simple steps now can make a big difference later:
• Remove dead vegetation and debris
• Prune trees and shrubs
• Move flammable items away from structures
• Maintain at least 30 feet of defensible space around your home

Wildfire preparedness starts at home. Take advantage of the longer days and start your spring cleanup today.

Be Wildfire Ready. Protect your home, family, and community.

10/10/2025

DFPA NEWS RELEASE
2025 FIRE SEASON ENDS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2025

The Douglas Forest Protective Association (DFPA) will officially end the 2025 fire season today, Friday, October 10, 2025, at 9:01 a.m., for lands under their protection and management. The end of fire season is a result of recent wetting rains and an overall cooling trend that has returned to the area.

With the end of the fire season, the public and industrial fire restrictions implemented through DFPA will no longer be in effect.

A list of fire restrictions and closures in place through private industrial landowners can be found online at https://ofic.com/private-forestland-closures/.

Backyard debris burning outside of incorporated cities will be allowed without a burn permit from DFPA; however, residents should contact their local fire department before conducting any debris burning, as fire restrictions may vary between local fire districts. The only type of burning that requires a permit from DFPA outside of fire season is for the burning of logging slash. Any commercial tree harvest that requires excess debris to be burned constitutes logging slash and, therefore, requires a burn permit. Permits to burn logging slash can be obtained by calling DFPA at 541-672-6507.

Despite the fire season ending, fire officials advise residents to exercise caution when burning yard debris or using fire in the woods. Several days of sunshine and dry weather during the fall months can create a fire risk even if a week or more of cool, wet conditions precede them.

When burning yard debris, ensure you have an adequate fire trail around the pile before ignition begins, and have fire tools and a water supply at the burn site. Debris piles should never be left unattended and should be fully extinguished before leaving the area. If a debris burn escapes containment, the party responsible may be held financially responsible for the resulting fire suppression costs and associated damages.

Those recreating in wildland areas are reminded that private industrial landowners and neighboring public land management agencies may still have fire restrictions or closures in place on the lands they own or manage. Recreationists should check with the appropriate landowner or public land management agency for the location they plan to recreate before heading to the woods.
The Douglas Forest Protective Association would like to thank the community for its cooperation and support during the 2025 fire season.

09/29/2025

RESTRICTIONS DECREASE FOR PUBLIC AND INDUSTRY

DFPA NEWS RELEASE: Effective at 2:01 p.m. today, Monday, September 29, 2025, Public Use Restriction Levels will change to LOW for all private, county, state, and Bureau of Indian Affairs lands within the Douglas District. This change imposes certain fire restrictions on the public to help prevent wildfires. The IFPL (Industrial Fire Precaution Level) levels will decrease to LEVEL 1 within the Douglas Forest Protection District, in regulated use area(s), and all forestland within one-eighth mile, including lands within the Roseburg District BLM.

IFPL (Industrial Fire Precaution Level) levels within the Douglas Forest Protection District will change to IFPL LEVEL 1, in regulated use area (s) DG-1, DG-2, UA-1, UA-2, and all forestland within one-eighth mile thereof.

What does this change mean to the public?

Non-industrial power saw usage, cutting, grinding, or welding of metal, cutting, trimming, or mowing of dried, cured grass, and power-driven machinery for non-industrial improvement or development on private property is allowed ALL DAY.

Off-Road Driving Allowed with Landowner Permission for Motor Vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, are only allowed on improved roads free of flammable vegetation, except for cultivating and harvesting agricultural crops. In addition, each passenger vehicle traveling on forestlands, except on state highways, county roads, and driveways, must have an axe, a shovel, and one gallon of water or a 2 ½ pound or larger ABC fire extinguisher. ATVs must have a 2 ½ pound or larger ABC fire extinguisher.

What restrictions does IFPL1, Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1, place on industries?

Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level 1, the use of fire or power-driven machinery in any operation area is unlawful unless such use is in compliance with the following:
All applicable fire prevention requirements of ORS Chapter 477 and OAR Chapter 629 Divisions 41 to 43.

Debris Burning- including debris piles and burn barrels, remains PROHIBITED at all times.

For more information, visit www.dfpa.net or call the office at (541) 672-6507.

09/22/2025

FIRE DANGER LEVEL INCREASE

DFPA NEWS RELEASE: Due to the forecast of increased, above-normal temperatures, decreased relative humidity, and reduced overnight moisture recovery, the fire danger level will rise to HIGH. In coordination with the increased fire potential, starting Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 12:01 a.m., Public Use Restrictions (PURs) will increase to HIGH for all private, county, state, and Bureau of Indian Affairs lands within the Douglas District, imposing certain fire restrictions on the public to help prevent wildfires.
What does this change mean to the public?

Non-industrial power saw usage, the cutting, grinding, or welding of metal, the cutting, trimming, or mowing of dried, cured grass, and power-driven machinery for non-industrial improvement or development on private property will only be allowed BEFORE 10 AM or AFTER 8 PM.

At this time, there will be no change to the Industrial Fire Precaution Levels. They will remain at IFPL2, districtwide.

For more information, visit www.dfpa.net , check out our social media,
FB: douglasforestprotectiveassociation, Insta: , or call the office (541) 672-6507.

09/09/2025

𝑊𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑣𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡, 𝐷𝐹𝑃𝐴 𝑖𝑠 𝑑𝑒𝑐𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐼𝐹𝑃𝐿 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃𝑈𝑅𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝐼𝐹𝑃𝐿3 & 𝐻𝐼𝐺𝐻, 𝑡𝑜 𝐼𝐹𝑃𝐿2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑀𝑂𝐷𝐸𝑅𝐴𝑇𝐸.
𝐴𝑛 𝑢𝑝𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑘 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑓𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑢𝑝𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑎 𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑤 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔.

OFFICIAL DFPA NEWS RELEASE
𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐓𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐒𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟗, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓, 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟐:𝟎𝟏 𝐚𝐦, , Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPL) will decrease to IFPL LEVEL 2 on all lands protected by the Douglas Forest Protective Association, which includes lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Public Use Restrictions (PURs) will decrease to MODERATE for all private, county, state, and Bureau of Indian Affairs lands within the Douglas District, which imposes certain fire restrictions on the public to help prevent wildfires.

IFPL CHANGES:

IFPL LEVEL 2, All lands protected by the Douglas Forest Protective Association, in regulated use area(s) DG-1, DG-2, UA-1, UA-2, and all forestland within one-eighth mile thereof.
What restrictions does IFPL2, Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2, place on industries?

Under Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2, the use of fire or power-driven machinery in any operation area is unlawful unless such use complies with the following:
Limited Shutdown: Except as noted, the following activities may only operate between 8:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.
1. Power saws, except power saws, may operate at loading sites all day
2. Feller-bunchers with rotary head saws
3. Cable yarding
4. Blasting
5. Welding, cutting, or grinding of metal

In writing, the State Forester or an authorized representative may approve a modification or waiver of these requirements. These restrictions shall remain in effect until replaced or terminated by an additional Closedown Order of the State Forester or an authorized representative. Maps of the subject area may be viewed at the State Forester's Office in Salem, Oregon, and the principal offices of the Forest Protection District. Definitions of words and phrases used in this proclamation may be found in ORS 477.001, OAR 629-041-0005.

What does this change mean to the public?

Non-industrial power saw usage, cutting, grinding, or welding of metal, cutting, trimming, or mowing of dried, cured grass, power-driven machinery for non-industrial improvement or development on private property will only be allowed BEFORE 1 PM or AFTER 8 PM.

For more information, visit www.dfpa.net , check out our social media,
FB: douglasforestprotectiveassociation, Insta: , or call the office (541) 672-6507.

09/05/2025