The short answer
Here in Jackson and Josephine counties, the Oregon Department of Forestry declares fire season each year. In 2026 it started May 15. As fire danger climbs, Industrial Fire Precaution Levels limit when operations on ODF-protected land can run, though road maintenance like sprinkling and grading can get a written waiver. Plan your summer road work early.
On this page
When fire season starts, and who decides
Fire season doesn't start on a set date. The Oregon Department of Forestry defines it as "that season of the year when a fire hazard exists as declared by the responsible agency official."2 In plain terms, it starts and ends when ODF says so.
In 2026, ODF's Southwest Oregon District declared fire season from 12:01 a.m. on Friday, May 15. The declaration covered 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) forestland in Jackson and Josephine counties, and it opened at a Low fire danger level and Industrial Fire Precaution Level I.1
The end date moves around too, so check the current year before you plan anything. The two ODF offices for our area are the Medford Unit, 5286 Table Rock Rd., Central Point (541-664-3328), and the Grants Pass Unit, 5375 Monument Dr., Grants Pass (541-474-3152). They post the current levels at swofire.com.1
Dates on this page are from the 2026 season. I re-check them every spring.
The four Industrial Fire Precaution Levels
On top of fire season, ODF sets an Industrial Fire Precaution Level, or IFPL, for industrial operations on the lands it protects west of the Cascades. There are four of them.2
| Level | What it does |
|---|---|
| I (Fire season) | Fire season requirements apply, and a Firewatch is required at this and every higher level unless waived. |
| II (Limited shutdown) | Power saws (except at loading sites), rotary-head feller-bunchers, cable yarding, blasting, and welding, cutting or grinding of metal may operate only between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. |
| III (Restricted shutdown) | Cable yarding is prohibited, with narrow exceptions. Loading or hauling of any product or material, power saws at loading sites, blasting and metal work may run only between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. Trucks must be loaded and leaving the loading site by 1 p.m. |
| IV (Complete shutdown) | All operations are prohibited. |
In 2026 the district moved to Level 3 at 12:01 a.m. on August 5. It cited "critically dry fuels, numerous recent fire responses across southwest Oregon," plus a forecast of heat, low humidity and gusty winds.3 Public-use restrictions at the Extreme fire danger level were in force at the same time, and one of them banned mowing dry or dead grass.3
Road maintenance and waivers
The ODF level sheet does allow for exceptions, as long as they're in writing.
"Waivers, written in advance, may be used for any and all activities."2
The activities it lists for waivers include mechanized loading and hauling, and road maintenance, which it spells out as sprinkling, graveling, grading and paving.2 If road work is part of an operation that falls under an IFPL, talk to the ODF unit about a waiver before the level goes up. Don't leave it for the day of.
Planning road work around fire season
The restrictions only pile up as the summer goes on. In 2026 the district went from Level I on May 15 to Level 3 on August 5.13 If your road or job site is on or near ODF-protected land, here's what I'd do:
- Check the current fire season declaration and IFPL before you set dates, and check again the week of the work.
- Ask ODF early whether your work needs a waiver, and get it in writing ahead of time.
- Book your dust control early in the dry season. My timing guide covers why right after the wet season is the window.
What this guide doesn't say
I don't claim that treating a road lowers fire risk, or that it helps a road meet any fire-access standard. Those questions belong with ODF or your local fire district.
For agencies and contractors
Fire-season road spraying is part of our government and contractor work, and lignin sulfonate is the one product we put down. We've been doing dust abatement around Southern Oregon for more than 20 years, and the truck comes out of Medford. If you're booking for a project or an agency, start with our capability statement, then have a look at government and fire-season dust control, or just call me with what the job needs.
Questions people ask
When does fire season start in Southern Oregon?
The Oregon Department of Forestry declares it every year. In 2026 its Southwest Oregon District declared fire season from 12:01 a.m. on May 15, covering 1.8 million acres of state, private, county, city and BLM forestland in Jackson and Josephine counties.
When does fire season end?
ODF declares that too, and the date moves from year to year. By ODF's definition, fire season runs for as long as the responsible agency official says a fire hazard exists. Check swofire.com, or call the Medford Unit (541-664-3328) or the Grants Pass Unit (541-474-3152).
What is an Industrial Fire Precaution Level?
IFPLs are four levels, I to IV, that limit when industrial operations can run on lands ODF protects west of the Cascades. Level I requires a Firewatch. Levels II and III limit some work to the hours between 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. Level IV shuts all operations down.
Can road watering or grading go on when the precaution level is high?
It can, with a waiver. ODF says a waiver written in advance can cover any activity, and it lists "road maintenance such as sprinkling, graveling, grading and paving" among the ones a waiver may cover. My advice is to ask ODF before the work, not after.
Do you do fire-season road work?
Yes, it's part of our government and contractor work. If you're an agency or a contractor, start with our capability statement, then give me a call with what the job needs.
Your road, your call
Questions this guide didn't answer?
Call and we'll talk your road through. Seven days a week, 8am to 6pm.
541-613-0067Sources
The public sources this guide quotes, read on October 24, 2026. What we say about the product we apply comes from the product, not from an independent test of our own.
- Jackson County News: ODF Southwest Oregon District declares the 2026 fire season
- Oregon Department of Forestry Industrial Fire Precaution Levels (IFPLs) for ODF protection west of the Cascades
- Jackson County News: Industrial Fire Precaution Level increases to Level 3 (August 2026)