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Topography contributes to fire hazard because fires spread much more quickly up <br />steep slopes. Weather is very important in governing the level of fire hazard. Rainfall <br />amounts and patterns contribute to the level of fuel load and also to moisture levels in <br />vegetation. During fires, temperature, humidity and wind speed are major factors <br />9oveming the rate of spread of wildland fires and thus major factors governing the <br />ease or difficulty with which a given fire is likely to be contained. <br /> <br />Typical annual rainfall amounts for the Eugene/Springfield Metro Area are moderately <br />high to high, with annual rainfal~ of about 46 inches. However, rainfall is not evenly <br />distributed through the year. Summer months are typically quite dry, with the highest <br />temperatures, lowest humidity, and highest fire danger. Fire hazards near the Eugene/ <br />Springfield Metro Area would be highest during prolonged periods of drought, <br />especially after periods of normal to above normal rainfall, which would result in a <br />combination of high fuel loads and unusually dry conditions. <br /> <br /> Historical Fire Data <br /> <br />The Oregon Department of Forestry (Jim Wolf) provided records for all wildland fires in <br />ODF responsibility lands in Lane County from 1970 to 2003. These records provide an <br />useful resource to evaluate both the historical frequency and severity of wildland fires <br />in Lane County For this 34-year pedod, the ODF records show a total of 2,566 <br />wildland fires, or an average of about 75 per year. These ODF data are summarized <br />below in Table <br /> <br />in interpreting these data, it is important to keep in mind that these data are for ODF <br />responsibility areas only, and do not include fires in areas covered only by local fire <br />departments or areas where federal agencies have fire suppression responsibility. <br /> <br /> Table 9.4 <br /> ODF Data for Wildland Fires (1970-2003) <br /> Lane County <br /> <br /> Genera~ Cause Fires Fires by Acres Burned Number <br /> Arson 91 >1,000 1 <br /> Debris Burning 591 100 to 1,000 18 <br /> Equipment Use 357 10 to 100 76 <br /> Equipment Use (logging) 110 5 to 10 103 <br /> Juvemles 174 Tota~ 5 acres or more 198 <br /> L~ghtnlng 278 <br /> Misc 237 <br /> Railroad 136 <br /> Recreabomst 304 <br /> Smoking 287 <br /> Under Investigat~on 1 <br /> Total Fires 2,566 <br /> Fires Per Year 75 <br /> Acres Burned 11,267 <br /> Acres Burned Per Year 331 <br /> <br /> The ODF data show 2,566 fires over the 34-year time period, or an average of 75 fires <br /> <br /> Public Review Draft: August 6, 2004 <br /> 9-14 <br /> <br /> <br />