Total outdoor flame device ban Oregon SP

[rhagfo]

Oregon State Parks hav issued a TOTAL BAN on any device producing a flame outdoors. This includes propane fire pits and propane BBQs
Total Ban on outdoor flame!

[Woodsie8_]

garyhaupt wrote:
Am I the only one thinking...not a word about the fires in Oregon? or about the huge fatality count? The cities that have been totally destroyed? Only about whether or not someone can cook their steak?


Gary Haupt

I didn’t see anything about cooking steaks. Did I miss something?
I am in the fire green/yellow/red zone and even though I am just horrified about what people are experiencing, I do have some mundane concerns like how to keep my food in the freezer frozen until we get electricity back. It has been 5 days and unclear when it will be back on. That does not mean that I am not heartsick about what my fellow PNW people are experiencing. I posted in DIY Class B, a detailed situation.

[Nutinelse2do]

I’m very happy to hear you’re safe Don.
You are correct about the coast.
We are just south west of Coos Bay on the water.
3-4 days ago, the dusk to dawn lights came on at 3:30 in the afternoon, and it was impossible to breathe or be outside.
The last couple days have been slightly better, but even small craft crabbing in the harbor are having to use GPS to return to dock. Visibility is about 500-750 yards, and still pretty stinky. Ash is still falling. Talking to friends around Tillamook, it’s the same up North, if not worse.
Last we heard, friends in Waldport had been running off generators for a couple days due to power outages, and said there was panic to get fuel.
Our prayers go out to everyone affected by this.
Stay safe all

[T18skyguy]

Thanks to all who express concern for the Oregon folks. The fire came to about a 1/2 mile from me. What stopped it was the McKenzie river, cool temperatures, and no wind. We have had very rare easterly winds that have filled all of Eugene/Springfield with very thick horrible smoke. I live on about a third of an acre, and I have a hard time seeing my 40 foot RV cover from my house, but at least I still got the house. This smoke has been here since Monday, and it just sits cause there's no wind at all. They say it's equivalant to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. I have constant headaches and burning eyes. I just stay inside and hope for the return of our westerly winds to clear it out. Our local Albertsons looks like an RV park with all that fled in their RV's. Same thing with Walmart. I'm between rigs now or I would go somewhere, but even the coast is not totally free from this smoke. Don

[Nutinelse2do]

garyhaupt wrote:
Am I the only one thinking...not a word about the fires in Oregon? or about the huge fatality count? The cities that have been totally destroyed? Only about whether or not someone can cook their steak?


Gary Haupt

I hear ya Gary. Our marina RV park neighbor just lost everything. 6 acres, barns, RV garage, 2500 sq ft house, everything reduced to ashes. Several people are here because they were evacuated, or lost it all. People have lost family, and all worldly possessions. Yeah, let’s worry if we can cook steak.

[garyhaupt]

Am I the only one thinking...not a word about the fires in Oregon? or about the huge fatality count? The cities that have been totally destroyed? Only about whether or not someone can cook their steak?


Gary Haupt

[rhagfo]

msmith1.wa wrote:
We were camping on the central Oregon coast the weekend before Labor day. The open flame ban started then. Propane grills and stoves were okay at that time, but not propane fire pits. Based on how dry the vegetation is I am not surprised by the grill ban also. The entire west coast is at a high risk for fires at the moment.

Well today they lifted the ban on outdoor stoves and BBQ's, but only cooking devices.
I will say we are currently in a beautiful, small SP in the Columbia Gorge. It is tender dry here and the wind is always blowing. This evening we as getting heavy smoke from the fires around Portland and Salem. We are hoping it clears by Monday. We had many cancellations today due to the smoke.
Today Portland, and Seattle were at the top of the large cities with the worst air quality.

[ktmrfs]

msmith1.wa wrote:
We were camping on the central Oregon coast the weekend before Labor day. The open flame ban started then. Propane grills and stoves were okay at that time, but not propane fire pits. Based on how dry the vegetation is I am not surprised by the grill ban also. The entire west coast is at a high risk for fires at the moment.

the total ban was in effect from Sept 7-10. That was during the high winds throughout Western Oregon. SOME places have relaxed the total ban to allow outdoor cooking with propane if you have a quick turn shutoff. Still no propane/gas lanterns, firepits etc.

Last thing we need is more fires, already to many people have died or had property damage from the ongoing fires, along with fires in some very scenic areas.

[msmith1_wa]

We were camping on the central Oregon coast the weekend before Labor day. The open flame ban started then. Propane grills and stoves were okay at that time, but not propane fire pits. Based on how dry the vegetation is I am not surprised by the grill ban also. The entire west coast is at a high risk for fires at the moment.

[Grit_dog]

PaisleyDale wrote:
Don't know of any fires started by a BBQ, but I do know that we have had lots in our area that have been started from camp fires and some may be from an arsonist? These are under investigation.

Several are from a wind storm that toppled power poles, burning homes and businesses. Loss of live from these fires also.

Where I live we have a fire that started (under investigation) Sep 7th at 10:30pm is now around 5000 acres and 6 miles from town. Have only had very limited resources due to the Oregon fires burning homes but today we are finally getting some help.

Many of the WA fires are confirmed or suspected arson, including the Pearl Hill fire which cooked 174000 acres in a day!

Unless you ask our governor, then its global warming, nothing more!

[ktmrfs]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
Well according to the article the OP was incorrect. Propane BBQ's are allowed. So it looks like I can still cook my steak on my BBQ!

Campfire Restrictions
Extreme fire danger has prompted a statewide campfire ban at all state parks, including campgrounds, day-use areas and beaches. The ban includes wood, charcoal briquettes, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames or embers. Propane stoves and other cooking devices that have a shutoff valve are allowed for cooking only.

Our son works for Oregon State Parks.

What the OP posted was correct on Sept 7 through last evening (10th)

the restrictions were changed late yesterday afternoon (Sept 10th) to allow cooking with propane if the device has an immediate shutoff valve. From the 7th till the 10th, even propane stoves were prohibited.

Now that winds have died down I can see allowing propane for cooking.

And the total prohibition is still in effect at many FS and county campgrounds.

That said, it's a moot point since many of the campgrounds are closed.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Well according to the article the OP was incorrect. Propane BBQ's are allowed. So it looks like I can still cook my steak on my BBQ!

Campfire Restrictions
Extreme fire danger has prompted a statewide campfire ban at all state parks, including campgrounds, day-use areas and beaches. The ban includes wood, charcoal briquettes, candles, tiki torches and other devices that emit flames or embers. Propane stoves and other cooking devices that have a shutoff valve are allowed for cooking only.

[dedmiston]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
How many of the fires in Or were caused by BBQ's they just banned?

I assume that with the firefighting resources stretched so thin, they don't want to take any chances that a simple campfire or BBQ gets out of hand and requires those resources to be stretched even thinner.

[ktmrfs]

Turtle n Peeps wrote:
How many of the fires in Or were caused by BBQ's they just banned?

with the winds we've had even a BBQ could easily start a fire either from coal sparks or the wind tipping over a BBQ, a lamp, anything with a flame. IMHO banning any flame source and prohibiting forest use is a very prudent thing to do under these fire conditions.

and by banning any open flame it minimizes the likelyhood of yet another fire to fight when there aren't even enough resources to tackle the fires that are burning.

There around 4 million acres burned. The Big burn in 1910 was 3 million.

Air quality in our area is now around 350+, dangerous. sun is not visible, smoke and ash in the air.

[Curly2001]

We are just coming back from the Oregon coast and it is more than terrible there with all the smoke, fires, and road closures. The air is so dense with smoke you can't breathe and many of the older campers have left early due to that. At noon a couple of days ago at Seal Rock, the sky went totally crimson red, smoke filled the air, and all the lights in the park came on. It was light midnight there all afternoon. We made it to northern Cal today and it is filled with smoke. Hopefully we can head south and get to some cleaner air around Sacramento. Two weeks ago we were in Denver with temps in the 90's and this week it snowed.
It has been a very bizarre vacation for sure this year.
Best to all!
Curly