As Oregon’s wildfire season appears to wind down, several areas in the Willamette National Forest have reopened to the public.
On Oct. 1, the U.S. Forest Service reduced its closures around multiple fires in Lane County, including the Linton Creek, Ore and Chalk Fires.
Crews working on the Moss Mountain Fire near Oakridge clear wildfire fuel from Wolf Mountain in the Willamette National Forest. With wildfires waning in the area, the U.S. Forest Service has reopened some popular recreation areas.
Courtesy of Willamette National Forest via InciWeb / KLCC
Forest officials said this will restore access to large areas of land used for hiking, hunting and recreation, including popular sites around the Blue River Reservoir.
Last week, the Willamette National Forest also lifted its previous restrictions on people building campfires outside of developed campsites.
Meanwhile, wildland firefighters who’ve been battling fires in the North and South Willamette Complex have handed over responsibilities to smaller, more local crews.
Northern Rockies Team 6 Incident Commander Rich Cowger helped fight several fires in the Willamette Complex North. In an update posted to Facebook on Sep. 27, he said the public could expect life to return to normal soon.
“There may still be some smoke on the landscape, you’ll see it occasionally, but know that they’re within containment lines,” said Cowger. “And you still have crews and folks here to help work on things if something were to pop up.”
However, an update from the Willamette Complex South said “unusually dry conditions” would likely affect the area this week, and some fires could grow past their current footprints. Forest officials said those conditions may abate Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a new wildfire was first reported in the Willamette National Forest this Monday. The Bingham Fire is east of Marion Forks, and was estimated to be around 35 acres, as of Tuesday evening.
For safety, the U.S. Forest Service said hunters and hikers should consult maps when travelling, and stay out of areas that remain closed due to nearby fires. A full list of closures is available online.