2023-2024 Budget Meeting

Tonight, the Mosier Fire District Budget Committee will be presented with the upcoming budget by the new Fire Chief, who was appointed as the Budget Officer by the district board. The residents are encouraged to attend (either in person or by zoom), to participate, listen, and see what this years’ proposed budget has entailed.

The meeting will be held at the Mosier Senior Center starting at 6:30 pm. If you would like to attend by zoom, please follow the link (https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86865192656), passcode is 97040.

There will also be a public hearing IAW Oregon State Law scheduled prior to final adoption by the Fire District Board.

Humblest apologies for the late notice on the website.

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Mosier Fire seeking professional photographer

The Mosier Fire District is seeking bids for professional photography/videography services on behalf of the Mosier Fire Department.

For bid specifications, email maggie.goter@mosierfire.com.

Bids are due by 5pm April 11th, a selection will be made by April 13th, and work must be completed by May 20th.

Register with Community Connect and help us serve you!

https://www.communityconnect.io/info/or-mosier

Mosier Fire is rolling out Community Connect so you can make sure we have the information we need in an emergency. Community Connect is a free, secure, and easy to use platform that allows you to share critical information about your household that will aid us when responding to your residence. By providing information about your household that you feel is important for us to know about at the time of an emergency, we can ensure you and everything you care about is protected to the best of our ability.

What can you share on Community Connect?
• Information about your house, like whether you have fire sprinklers
• Information about mobility or functional needs that may require additional assistance
• Information about pets in your household.
• Any information you enter is secure and password-protected. Emergency responders can see it, but your information is never sold or used for any other purpose.

Questions? Call the Fire Chief at 541-478-3333.

Fire Season in Effect for All of Central Oregon District

[Prineville, Ore.]  Beginning June 1, 2021 the John Day Unit will join The Dalles and Prineville units of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District in implementing fire season. Cooler temperatures and precipitation over the last few weeks has been a welcome reprieve from the rising fire danger observed this spring.  However, warm temperatures and windy conditions in the forecast will quickly dry wildland fuels bringing the return of unseasonably high wildfire danger across the area. 

Human caused fires for 2021 within ODF’s Central Oregon District are more than double the ten-year-average for fire starts year-to-date.  Thirty-one fires have burned 243 acres of ODF protected lands already this year.  On average the District responds to 136 fires each year; 66 lightning starts and 70 human ignitions.      

Fire Season Regulations

The following acts are prohibited during fire season in accordance with ORS 477.510 and ORS 477.512:

·        Smoking while working in or traveling through any operation area.

·        The use of fuse and caps for blasting, unless approval is granted by the forester.

·        The discharge of an exploding target inside the district or within one-eighth mile of the district.

·        The discharge of tracer ammunition on land that is within the district or within one-eighth mile of the district, or when discharged, crosses above land that is within the district or within one-eighth mile of the district.

Operators should refer to www.oregon.gov/odf/fire/Documents/fire-season-requirements-for-industrial-operations.pdf for information specific to industrial operations during fire season, or call their local ODF Office.

John Day Unit—Grant, Wheeler, Morrow, Harney, & Gilliam Counties (541)575-1139

·        Burning of logging slash and larger debris piles is not currently allowed in the John Day Unit. 

·        Burning yard debris and burn barrels is no longer permitted on lands protected by ODF.

Prineville Unit-Crook, Jefferson, and Deschutes Counties (541)447-5658

·        Burning of logging slash is not allowed at this time. 

·        Contact the local fire departments to obtain burn permits for burning yard debris where allowed. 

The Dalles Unit-Wasco and Hood River Counties (541)296-4626

·        IFPL 1 in effect for MH-1(east of Hwy 35 in Hood River and Wasco counties) and MH-4 (west of Hwy 35 in Hood River County)

·        Burn ban in effect for Hood River and Wasco counties begins June 1, 2021.

For additional information on ODF’s Central Oregon District, including contact information and unit offices, please visit www.ODFcentraloregon.com.

Burn Ban starting June 1, 2021

Mosier Fire District is entering a complete Burn Ban beginning at 1201 am June 1st 2021. No burning will be allowed.  All permits are suspended until the burn ban is lifted. Any questions please call the Fire District at 541-478-3333.
Have a safe summer.

Fire Board Election

 Election May 18th – last day to file is March 18th
Two positions on the Mosier Fire District Board are up for election on May 18th. Incumbents Todd Reeves (Position #2) and Barb Ayers (Position #3) are both running for reelection. Other candidates are encouraged to file, however the deadline to file with Wasco County is Thursday, March 18th. Both positions are for four year terms. More information can be found at https://www.co.wasco.or.us/departments/clerk/current_election.php

Hand Sewn Masks

Stuck for something to do and want to help the community? Why not make some droplet resistant masks and donate them to Mosier Fire?

There are good instructions here:

https://makefacemasks.com/

These masks are very useful to us as we put them on potentially infectious patients while we’re on calls. The more we can reduce airborne droplets, the safer the responders are.

Masks can be dropped in the box outside the Mosier Fire Office during business hours. Please don’t come into the office.

Stay Home, Stay Safe

But what does this mean? We’ve been hearing some confusion so here are a few definitions to help clear it up:

Social distancing

This means staying away from everyone outside your household wherever possible. Don’t have anyone come to your house who doesn’t live there. Don’t go anywhere you don’t need to. Try to limit shopping trips to once a week (or longer) and only send one person.

Getting fresh air is important. It is fine to take a walk or do other activities outside, as long as you can maintain at least a 6 foot distance between you and anyone not in your household.

Note that this does not mean you should socialize with other households while maintaining a 6 foot separation. Any prolonged contact should be avoided if possible.

Most public parks and playgrounds are now closed. 
Stay in contact with friends and family by phone or video chat. Keeping up with other people is important.

Quarantine in place:

Quarantine is more rigorous isolation. This is what you will do if you suspect that you are ill or have come into contact with someone who is ill. You are not only staying at home but you’re staying away from everyone else in your home. Don’t leave your house. Have food delivered. Anybody in contact with you should be wearing gloves and mask and washing their hands.

If you do not live alone, use your own set of towels, plates, glasses, and utensils. If possible do not share a bathroom with other people in the house.

If you become ill:

• Quarantine in place immediately
• Other members of your household should also quarantine in place
• Stay at home drink plenty of fluids, treat your symptoms, and talk to your primary health provider by phone or email
• Do not go in to a hospital or clinic unless you have severe issues that require emergency assistance
• Inform anyone that you have had more than passing contact with for the past 36 hours that you have become ill
• Keep a log of your symptoms including your temperature every three hours or so
• Make a list of your current medications and medical history. You may find the form at this link useful: https://assets.aarp.org/www.aarp.org_/articles/learntech/wellbeing/medication-record.pdf
• Seek help immediately if you experience:
  • Trouble breathing
  • Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
  • New confusion or inability to wake
  • Bluish lips or face

Limited burning begins Thursday

The Burn Ban will be lifted effective at midnight on Thursday, September 26th. This will allow burning in barrels and residential debris piles initially from dawn to 11:00am. Any burning of agricultural piles or other large piles will still be at the discretion of the permitting agency. Slash piles which require smoke management registration through Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) will not be allowed until later.

You will still need a current burning permit for barrels and small piles. Please remember all fires must be extinguished by 11:00am.

Please call 541-478-3333 to obtain a burning permit.

Fire Restrictions – Regulated Closure

STATE OF OREGON

DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY

FIRE RESTRICTIONS

REGULATED CLOSURE PROCLAMATION

Number 02 

Effective 12:01 a.m., PDT, August 7, 2019

By virtue of the authority vested in me under the provisions of ORS 477.535 to 477.550, I hereby proclaim a Regulated Closure to be in effect in the following subject area:

All lands protected by the Central Oregon Forest Protection District, and all forestland within one-eighth mile thereof.

Under this Regulated Closure it is unlawful to be in violation of the following restrictions:

• Smoking is prohibited while traveling, except in vehicles on improved roads.
• Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except in designated areas.  Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed. Open fires are allowed if conducted in compliance with a valid Burning Permit issued pursuant to ORS 477.515.
• Chainsaw use is prohibited, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.  Chainsaw use is permitted at all other hours, if the following firefighting equipment is present with each operating saw: one axe, one shovel, and one operational 8 ounce or larger fire extinguisher.  In addition, a fire watch is required at least one hour following the use of each saw.
• Cutting, grinding and welding of metal is prohibited between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.  At all other times the area is to be cleared of flammable vegetation and the following fire equipment is required: one axe, one shovel, and one operational 2 ½ pound or larger fire extinguisher in good working order.  
• Use of motor vehicles, including motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles, is prohibited, except on improved roads and except for vehicle use by a landowner and employees of the landowner upon their own land while conducting activities associated with their livelihood. 
• Possession of the following firefighting equipment is required while traveling in a motorized vehicle, except on federal and state highways, county roads and driveways: one shovel and one gallon of water or one operational 2½ pound or larger fire extinguisher, except all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles which must be equipped with an approved spark arrestor in good working condition.
• Mowing of dried grass with power driven equipment is prohibited, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m., except for the commercial culture and harvest of agricultural crops.
• Use of fireworks is prohibited.
• Blasting is prohibited.
• Any electric fence controller in use shall be: 1) Listed be a nationally recognized testing laboratory or be certified by the Department of Consumer and Business Services; and 2) Operated in compliance with manufacturer’s instructions.

Aside from these restrictions, also prohibited throughout fire season is backyard debris burning, the use of exploding targets and tracer ammunition.

The State Forester or an authorized representative may, in writing, approve a modification or waiver of these requirements.

These restrictions shall remain in effect until replaced, suspended, or terminated by an additional proclamation of the State Forester or an authorized representative.

Maps of the subject area may be viewed at the State Forester’s Office, in Salem, Oregon, and at principal offices of the Forest Protection District.

Definitions of words and phrases used in this proclamation may be found in ORS 477.001, OAR 629-041-0005.

Rob Pentzer / District Forester

Central Oregon District

Oregon Department of Forestry

August 7, 2019