JOHN DAY – With continuing dry weather and high fire danger, the Malheur National Forest is raising the Industrial Fire Precaution Level to III and restricting the activities that could cause a fire, said Jeff Pendleton, fire management officer.

The fire restrictions go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday, Sept. 2, for the entire Malheur National Forest.

The restrictions include:

No open campfires or charcoal grills except in specific designated recreation sites.

No fires in the Monument Rock or Strawberry Mountain Wildernesses.

No firewood cutting is not allowed.

The use of chainsaws and other internal combustion engines is prohibited.

Generators may be operated under certain conditions: in the center of an area at least 10 feet in diameter that clear of flammable material; when fully contained within a pickup truck bed that is devoid of all flammable material; or when factory installed in a recreational vehicle with the exhaust discharge in the center of a cleared area at least 10 feet in diameter.

Smoking is not permitted while traveling through timber, brush, or grass.

Smoking is only permitted in an enclosed vehicle, building, or within specific developed recreation sites. Smoking is also allowed while stopped in an area that is at least three feet in diameter and is cleared of all flammable material.

Under IFPL III, the forest restricts activities such as cable yarding and power saw use to certain conditions and hours.

For more details, call Malheur National Forest, 541-575-3000.