2B | SATURDAY, MAY 30, 2020 | SIUSLAW NEWS
Fire
from 1B
A campfire is less like-
ly to escape control if
it is kept small. A large
fire may cast hot embers
long distances.
Add firewood in small
amounts as existing ma-
terial is consumed.
Attend your campfire
at all times
A campfire left unat-
Parks
from 1B
that do open will honor
existing tent and RV res-
ervations starting June 9,
and will accept new res-
ervations from one day
to two weeks in advance,
instead of the usual nine
months in advance.
Reservations will still
be
made
through
OPRD’s contracted ven-
dor, Reserve America at
https://oregonstateparks
.reserveamerica.com/.
RV and tent campers
without reservations will
be welcome at open
campgrounds as space
and staffing permit.
Reservations for most
yurts and cabins, and
tended for even a few
minutes can grow into
a costly, damaging wild-
fire.
Stay with your camp-
fire from start to finish
until it is dead out, as
required by law. That en-
sures any escaped sparks
or embers can be extin-
guished quickly.
Consider alternatives
to a campfire this sum-
mer
Portable camp stoves
are a safer option to
campfires at any time of
year.
Areas that prohibit
campfires outside main-
tained
campgrounds
with established fire pits
often allow camp stoves.
Never use gasoline or
other accelerants
Don’t use flammable
or combustible liquids,
such as gasoline, pro-
pane or lighter fluid, to
start or increase your
campfire.
Burn only local wood
Hauling your firewood
to a remote campground
can potentially transport
invasive species. Instead,
buy it where you’ll burn
it or gather wood on site
where permitted.
State regulations pro-
hibit the open burning
of any other material
that creates dense, toxic
smoke or noxious odors.
Burning paper and
cardboard can also easily
fly up to start new fires.
Escaped
campfires
can be costly. State and
federal law require the
proper clearing, build-
ing, attending and extin-
guishing of open fires at
any time of year.
While citations and
fines may apply, the big-
gest potential cost for an
escaped campfire is fire-
fighting costs.
These can range from
a few hundred to tens of
thousands of dollars or
more.
For more tips to pre-
vent wildfirers, visit
Smokey Bear’s website
at https://www.smokey-
bear.com/en and www.
keeporegongreen.org.
group camping and
group day-use, are still
subject to cancellation.
Visitors holding those
reservations will be con-
tacted if a cancellation is
required.
Two main forces
determine when a state
park campground can
open. Some communi-
ties, such as the north
coast, are not yet ready
for overnight visitors
from outside their area.
A more widespread
factor relates to funding.
The Oregon State Park
system is not funded by
taxes, but by revenue
from park visitors, a
small share of the
Oregon Lottery, and a
portion of state recre-
ational vehicle registra-
tions.
The revenue needed
to operate state parks
has fallen drastically
since March, meaning
one of the most popular
state park systems in the
country is being operat-
ed by about half the
usual staff.
With a skeleton crew
and limited means to
hire more, there will be
far fewer staff available
to help visitors and
address common prob-
lems such as noise and
pets.
Trash, landscaping,
and cleaning services
will all be reduced.
Interpretive activities
and ranger programs
will be few and far
between, if at all.
Restrooms are expect-
ed to be available at each
open park, but some
shower facilities may be
closed.
Service, and whether a
park is open or not, is
subject
to
change
depending on health
conditions around the
park, available staff, pro-
tective equipment, and
cleaning supplies.
Visitors can help state
parks stay open:
• Choose a park as
close to home as possi-
ble. Don’t travel if you’re
sick.
• Visit with members
of your household.
• Bring everything
you need with you: trash
bags, cleaning supplies,
hand sanitizer, food,
water. Pack out every-
thing you bring in.
• Be gentle with the
trails, restrooms, show-
ers, benches, and picnic
tables.
• Take it easy on your-
self by enjoying low-key,
familiar activities.
• Be a good neighbor.
Keep your pets on a
leash, your site clean,
and respect quiet hours
from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
every day.
• Keep at least six feet
away from people from
outside your household,
and wear a face covering
when you can’t.
• Avoid crowds even if
you have a face covering.
• Cover coughs, and
wash your hands regu-
larly.
Watch our Prepare +
Care Welcome video at
https://youtu.be/
IN7qsM08l9k.
“Oregon needs what
its parks can provide,”
says Lisa Sumption,
OPRD Director. “This is
less
service
than
Oregonians are used to,
and we’re doing our best
to stretch the budget, but
it will take continued
cooperation and support
from visitors to make
this work.”
Buying or Selling? I can help.
Turtles
from 1B
the Oregon Native Tur-
tle Working Group,
works to conserve Ore-
gon’s turtles year-round.
“Our native turtles are
in decline, so anything
we can do to help makes
a diff erence,” added
Barnes.
She suggests the pub-
lic can help by reporting
turtle sightings on the
Native Turtles of Oregon
website or through iNat-
uralist or HerpMapper,
mobile applications that
can be downloaded on
your smartphone or oth-
er mobile device.
Little
from 1B
Home or away, rain,
wind and dark of night,
Bob kept track of every
play on the football fi eld.
Bob Hylton is not in
the HOF for keeping
football statistics. He
was included for his
cross country and track
accomplishments.
I know Bob for much
more than a runner.
His athletic versatility
was apparent the fi rst
time we played 3-man
city league volleyball
together. His constant
movement on the court
in pursuit of the ball to
pass to teammates led to
many points.
When the time came
for city league basket-
ball, he changed foot-
wear and hit the court
running. Once on the
fl oor, Bob proved him-
self as much more than
a runner. His passing
and defense kept our
team in every game.
When it came time for
soft ball, Bob was at his
athletic best. His ability
to track down and catch
the ball was superior. I
believe he had the most
fun during soft ball be-
cause his Dad was also
a member of the A&W
restaurant team. It is no
wonder Bob had skills;
his Dad, Hal Hylton —
in his 50s at the time —
“Th is helps us iden-
tify the locations of our
native turtles as well as
invasive turtles that we
may try and remove,”
said Barnes. Turtle sight-
ings also help ODFW
and their native turtle
conservative partners
decide where to conduct
visual surveys for tur-
tles, to collect more in-
formation about turtle at
a particular location.
Oregon has only two
species of native turtles:
the western painted and
the western pond. Both
are both protected by
state law; it is illegal to
take them from the wild
and to keep them as pets.
more than held his own
when pitching for the
team. Looking back, it
seemed
Bob’s extra eff ort to
run down fl y balls and
snag them for outs oc-
curred when his Dad
was on the fi eld.
More than just partici-
pating, Bob’s Dad’s com-
pany, Hal’s Electric, an-
nually spon-sored teams
and events throughout
Florence. When Hal
passed, Bob continued
the support of Florence
youth sports. Hal’s Elec-
tric’s former youth team
members are scattered
throughout the Florence
community.
Without this generos-
ity many young athletes,
Non-native turtles in-
clude red-eared sliders
and snapping turtles. It
is illegal in the state to
buy, sell, possess or re-
lease non-native turtles.
Red-eared sliders are
relatively easy to identi-
fy. Most have red “ears”
(markings) on the side
of their heads.
If you are in posses-
sion of a non-native tur-
tle, contact your local
ODFW offi ce for guid-
ance.
Species List (ODFW
2016) as “Sensitive-Crit-
ical” and highlighted in
the Oregon Conserva-
tion Strategy as a pri-
ority species in need
of help. Population de-
clines are due to habi-
tat loss, degradation of
nesting areas by invasive
plants, illegal collecting,
disease and competition
from non-native turtles.
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Both the western
painted and western
pond turtle are includ-
ed on the State Sensitive
would have missed an
opportunity to engage
in their chosen activity.
Once Bob graduated,
he did not just hang up
his running shoes. He
exchanged them for a
variety of athletic activ-
ities. He excelled in each
one as the athlete he is.
If there were to be a city
league athletic Hall of
Fame, Bob would have
to included in that inau-
gural membership.
Bob has been a valu-
able community mem-
ber of the Florence
sports community.
Th ank him when you
see him for all he has
done to better the op-
portunities for the youth
of Florence.
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