People using
equipment in an un-safe manner is the second highest cause of wildfires on
state-protected lands in Oregon.
Equipment use is
a very large category that includes motorists who pull their burning vehicles
to the side of the road and set the dry grass on fire; sparks from exhaust
systems and heat from manifolds on vehicles being driven or parked on dry
grass; people using gas-powered lawn equipment, hitting a rock, causing a
spark, and setting the dry grass on fire; or power lines that have sparked
during a wind storm, causing a tree to ignite. (Call your power company to cut the branches away and reduce the risk.)
During Fire Season 2007,
214 equipment
fires resulted in
671 burned
acres and
$1.6 million
in suppression costs,
Wildfire
statistics show that prior to 2006, the
10-year average of human-caused wildfires was
690 per year
6,361
acres, and the
$5.52
million in suppression costs.
After 2007, the averages became
741 wildfires
4,947
acres, and
$5.64
million in suppression costs.
The fewer acres certainly reflects back to the
quick responses by ODF suppression crews.
Here are a few
tips for the safe use of equipment:
