Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Cottage Grove sentinel. (Cottage Grove, Or.) 1909-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 2016)
6A COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL October 12, 2016 Restrictions ended, agencies look back on a relatively calm 2016 fi re season Numbers, types of confl agrations pale in comparison to sultry 2015 season BY JON STINNETT The Cottage Grove Sentinel T he recent removal of re- strictions in place to curb activities that could cause out- door fi res has offi cially drawn the fi re season of 2016 to a close, a season perhaps only remarkable in comparison to its predecessor. South Lane County Fire and Rescue Chief John Wooten said last week that the 2016 fi re sea- son was “nothing compared to last year,” an extremely dry sea- son that featured major confl a- grations throughout the Pacifi c Northwest. Within the 800-mile boundar- ies of the South Lane district, Wooten said fi refi ghters dealt with but one threatening fi re, that which burned a little over three acres in a wooded area on Mt. David on Wednesday, Aug. 24. Later that week, police and fi re personnel responded to re- ports of a fi re in a restroom at Bohemia Park, then dealt with a brush fi re set intentionally near the Row River Trail outside Walmart. Three 15-year olds were sub- sequently arrested in response to those two fi res, arrests that Wooten believed had curbed the rash of arson happening in the area. “The Cottage Grove Police Department arrested three in- dividuals, and once they were arrested, those kinds of fi res stopped,” Wooten said. “That leads me to believe that they found the right individuals.” The Lane County Sheriff’s Offi ce is also still investigat- Sentinel fi le photo A helicopter belonging to timber company Weyerhaeus- er pours retardant onto a fi re on Mt. David on Wednes- day, Aug. 24. ing what it believes to be arson fi res at homes in Saginaw and on Cedar Creek Road near Cot- tage Grove Reservoir, Wooten said, though statewide there were only two major wildfi re confl agrations in 2016. The Or- egon Department of Forestry re- ported 56 fi res on forested lands it protects in the Western Lane District; Wooten also gave cred- it to cooperation between South Lane and ODF for the speedy response that helped extinguish the Mt. David blaze. Fire regulations ended on the Umpqua National Forest on Wednesday, Oct. 5, and the Forest Service reported that the 2016 fi re season consisted of 40 fi res that burned a total of 8.3 acres. Of these, 13 were caused by lightning, with the remainder caused by humans. “An astonishing 21 fi res were started by abandoned campfi res, a strong reminder of the impor- tance of making sure campfi res are cold to the touch before leaving,” USFS’ Jennifer Tay- lor wrote via news release last week. The Douglas Forest Protec- tive Association also ended its regulations last week, announc- ing that the 2016 fi re season began on June 8 and lasted 120 days. Firefi ghters suppressed 75 fi res, which burned 120 acre on the Douglas District, with the largest fi re of the year being the Highway 138 West fi re on Sept. 13 that burned 62 acres. Lightning reportedly sparked one fi re, which accounted for 1/10 acre burned, whereas 74 human-caused fi res burned the bulk of this summer’s acreage. These numbers are a far cry from the brutal 2015 season, which ODF called a “witches’ brew of drought, hot weather and dry lightning,” in a sum- mary report that pointed out that these conditions spawned more than 2000 wildfi res in Or- egon alone, fi res that consumed “some 631,000 acres of forest and rangeland.” According to the ODF news release, the agency deployed eight incident management teams to support fi re suppression efforts across the state in 2015. The Oregon National Guard supplied several helicopters and fl ight crews, other equipment and 375 personnel to form 18 fi re hand crews. The state fi re marshals’ offi ce provided three structural fi re teams, the Depart- ment of Corrections provided 330 inmates from 10 institu- tions to fi ght fi re and support fi re camp operations. Resources such as personnel, equipment and aircraft came in from the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, 27 states and two Canadian Provinces. Grab a BITE of Cottage Grove R South Valley $2 $2 Farmers Market Thursday, 4-7pm Through 10/27 Clip for $2 off! 7th & Main, Downtown CG Eggs Produce Meat Bakery Eat Fresh, Buy local! $2 $2 15% OFF Any service with coupon Schedule your appointment Today! 1RW9DOLGRQDQ\VHUYLFH([FHHGLQJ([SLUHV Not valid with any other offer. 541-942-4415 ffer Affordable Care Act OPEN ENROLLMENT Starts November 1st Call Paul to help simplify the complicated. 541-517-7362 Paul Henrichs ~ Independent Agent coverage4oregon@gmail.com MOVIE NIGHT at Shady Oaks Plants & Produce Showing “HOCUS POCUS” MOVIE SCHEDULED FOR OCT.14 & 15 WILL BE POSTPONED UNTIL OCT. 21ST & 22ND estaurant G U I D E Starts at Dusk (Weather Permitting) Also.. BRING THE KIDS OUT! Saturday Oct. 15th 9:30-Noon For Hayrides and Pumpkin Patch Pancakes FARM FAMILY FUN FIESTA CANTINA SPECIALS M-MARGARITA MONDAYS T-TACO TUESDAYS W/FRESH MADE TORTILLAS W-WELLLS DOWN CALLS UP TH-TRIVIA NIGHT FRI. & SAT. DJ & DANCING SUN FOOTBALL PRO SPECIALS, GIANT TV EL TAPATIO Mexican Restaurant & Cantina (541) 767-0457 77380 Hwy 99 S. 541-942-5004 2015 e Grove Cottag er Chamb merce of Com s Busines of the Year LOW COST Daily Specials 20% OFF for Active Military & Vets Tuesday Night is Senior Night 4pm-8pm Local & Metro Weekday Trips Professional Caring Staff SANDWICH CORNED BEEF ON RYE OF THE WEEK Open Daily for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 6 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun-Thurs 6 a.m. - 10 a.m. Fri. & Sat. Fresh Homemade Soups Daily Hot & Cold Sandwiches, Salads Cookies, Brownies, Breakfast Croissants and other Baked Goods Daily 9am-6pm 616 East Main St. Cottage Grove, OR 541.649.1117 CAROUSELDELICATESSEN.COM Call In Orders Dine-In Catering 1590 Gateway Blvd. • Cottage Grove • 541-942-7144 Your Regional Public Transportation Service CONES SHAKES SUNDAES FLOATS No elgibility requirements. 541-942-0456 southlanewheels.org We Want Your News!
