With fire conditions moderating throughout the Umpqua Valley, fire officials with the Douglas Forest Protective Association will begin working with farmers, ranchers and other landowners to complete prescribed burns throughout the area. Prescribed burns may be conducted on fields, pastures and hillsides to promote productive grazing lands for livestock and to improve habitat for wildlife, while reducing the buildup of flammable vegetation. Burn permits for backyard debris burning, including both debris piles and burn barrels, will not be issued at this time.

Over the last five years, local landowner’s working with DFPA have averaged a combined total of about 3,500 acres of prescribed burns annually, throughout the Douglas District. For many agricultural landowners, fire is used as a tool to prepare their lands for the next growing season by removing noxious weeds, brush, insects, and plant disease from their lands. Prescribed burns are also beneficial to firefighters by reducing the buildup of brush and other flammable vegetation throughout the area.

Before fire is introduced onto the landscape, prescribed burns are made safe by the construction of fire trails around the proposed burn site. In addition, landowners must be able to demonstrate that they have the ability and resources in the form of fire suppression equipment and personnel on site to maintain control of the prescribed burn. Once fire trails are approved by DFPA and weather conditions are favorable, a permit may be issued to complete the prescribed burn.

Fire officials say that the effects from the prescribed burns on populated areas will be minimized by allowing the burns to only take place when both fire conditions and weather patterns are favorable for a safe, effective burn. By coordinating when and where prescribed burns occur, the smoke impacts to the surrounding areas, can be mitigated.

A public meeting of the Winston Dillard Fire District No 5 Board of Directors will be held on June 18, 2018 at 5:30pm at 250 SE Main Street, Winston, Oregon. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2018 as approved by the Winston Dillard Fire District No 5 Budget Committee A summary of the budget is presented below A copy of the budget may be inspected or obtained at 250 SE Main Street, Winston, Oregon, between the hours of 8:00a m and 5:00pm. This budget is for an annual budget period. This budget was prepared on a basis of accounting that is the same as the preceding year.   Budget is available here

NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Winston Dillard Fire District No. 5, Douglas County, Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019, will be held at 250 SE Main Street, Winston OR 97476. The meeting will take place on the 21^th day of May 2018 at 5:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget document and to receive comment from the public on the budget. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after May 8^th at SE 250 Main Street, Winston OR 97476, between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee.

Due to drying fuels and increasing fire danger, the Douglas Forest Protective Association will implement Public Use Restrictions on July 1^st, 2017 at 12:01 a.m.  These fire prevention measures will be in place on all 1.6 million acres of private, county, state, Bureau of Land Management and Bureau of Indian Affairs lands protected by DFPA.

[Read more…] about PUBLIC USE RESTRICTIONS BEGIN JULY 1ST

NOTICE OF BUDGET COMMITTEE MEETING

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Winston Dillard Fire District No. 5, Douglas County, Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018, will be held at 250 SE Main Street, Winston OR 97476. The meeting will take place on the 15^th day of May 2017 at 5:00 pm. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget document and to receive comment from the public on the budget. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after May 8^th at SE 250 Main Street, Winston OR 97476, between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee.

The City of Winston allows burning yard debris the whole month of May and that it does not require a permit if you live inside the city limits. Please do not leave your burn pile unattended and you need to have a hose, shovel and fire extinguisher with you at all times. The burn pile must be 25 feet from a structure. For more information to contact the City of Winston. 541-679-6739