Fire Season Begins May 15, 2026
JACKSON & JOSEPHINE COUNTIES, Ore. (May 12, 2026) – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) Southwest Oregon District will officially declare the start of fire season on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 12:01 a.m. The fire danger level will be “Low” (green) and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) will be I (one).
Lands affected by this declaration include 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) forestlands in Jackson and Josephine counties.
While winter and spring rains are on track for a slightly below‑normal water year, snowpack is minimal and drought conditions across both counties are contributing to dry vegetation and an increased risk for fires to start and spread earlier in the year. As conditions trend toward warmer summer‑like weather, fire risk and behavior will naturally increase.
Restrictions During Low Fire Danger
The beginning of fire season and Low fire danger brings regulations; these activities are known to cause fires and will be prohibited with the start of fire season:
- No debris burning, including piles and debris burned in burn barrels.
- No fireworks on or within 1/8 mile of ODF‑protected land.
- Exploding targets and tracer ammunition, or any bullet with a pyrotechnic charge, are prohibited.
- Campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds, on BLM land, and on private land with the landowner’s permission. Designated campgrounds are listed at www.swofire.com/maps.
The following are required where open fires and appliances are allowed: one shovel and one gallon of water or a 2½‑pound fire extinguisher.
- Portable appliances such as camp stoves and fire pits using liquified or bottled fuels are allowed anytime in cleared areas* free of flammable vegetation.
- Charcoal and pellet barbecues/smokers are allowed at fully developed, landscaped, and maintained residential home sites when used in a cleared area*. A charged garden hose or 2½‑pound fire extinguisher must be immediately available.
- Smoking while traveling is allowed only in enclosed vehicles on improved roads, in boats on the water, and in other specifically designated locations.
- Electric fence controllers must be approved by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (e.g., UL) or certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services, and must be installed and used according to fire‑safe operating instructions.
*Cleared Area Definition: Free of flammable vegetation for 50 feet in all directions.
Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) I
The start of fire season also means regulations on industrial activities. Under IFPL I (one), fire season requirements are in effect, in addition to the following:
- A Firewatch is required at this and all higher levels unless otherwise waived.
Contact ODF for More Information
For more information about the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Season regulations, please call or visit the Southwest Oregon District office nearest you:
Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point – 541‑664‑3328
Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Dr., Grants Pass – 541‑474‑3152
