Our community is worth protecting. Prevention starts with you.

In Umatilla, wildfire danger is close to home. Dry grass, open fields, brush, and strong winds create conditions where a small ignition can threaten homes, businesses, and the people we serve.

A mower blade striking a rock. Sparks from a grinder. A trailer chain dragging along the road. Hot exhaust parked over dry grass. An ordinary task can become an emergency before someone realizes a fire has started.

Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District asks everyone who lives, works, and travels through our community to make wildfire prevention part of their daily routine.

Our firefighters prepare to respond. You can help prevent the next response from being to your property, or your neighbor’s.

Before You Start, Know the Risk

Before mowing, operating equipment, welding, or lighting an outdoor fire, take a moment to evaluate the conditions.

Check restrictions. Watch the wind. Look at the vegetation around you.

Follow current restrictions for the property where you are working. Requirements can vary between the Fire District and other jurisdictions or public lands.

Even when an activity is permitted, conditions may make it unsafe. If wind is picking up, vegetation is extremely dry, or you cannot contain a potential ignition, postpone the work.

A permitted activity is not a guarantee of safe conditions. When in doubt, contact us before you begin.

Mowing & Vegetation Management

Reduce the hazard without starting a fire.

We encourage residents and property owners to address tall grass and weeds before they dry out. Waiting until the hottest part of summer can make cleanup more hazardous.

• Plan mowing for cooler morning hours, preferably before 10 a.m., when conditions and restrictions allow. This is a prevention recommendation, not an authorized operating window.
• Postpone mowing during hot, windy, or excessively dry conditions, regardless of the time.
• Use lawnmowers on maintained green lawns. Do not use them to clear dry weeds, brush, or rocky ground.
• Inspect the area for rocks, wire, metal, and other objects that could strike a blade.
• Use equipment appropriate for the vegetation and terrain. String trimmers and brush cutters also require fire precautions.
• Keep equipment maintained and remove accumulated vegetation as directed by the manufacturer.
• Have suitable fire extinguishing equipment immediately available.

The safest time to prepare your property is before dry vegetation becomes a fire hazard.

Welding, Grinding & Metal Cutting

Every spark needs somewhere safe to land.

Fence repairs, fabrication, and equipment maintenance can send sparks and hot metal beyond the immediate work area. In dry vegetation, an unnoticed ignition can continue growing after the work is finished.

Before starting:

• Move the job to a suitable noncombustible work area whenever possible.
• Remove nearby combustible materials and check beyond the work surface, including beneath equipment, through openings, and on the opposite side of fences.
• Use appropriate welding screens or fire-resistant guards to contain sparks and slag.
• Keep suitable extinguishing equipment ready for immediate use.
• Check applicable restrictions, permit requirements, and fire-watch requirements.
• Inspect the area afterward and maintain any required fire watch. Do not assume the danger ends when the tool is turned off.

If wind or surrounding vegetation prevents you from controlling the sparks, stop and reschedule the work.

Engines, Exhaust Systems & Spark Arresters

Maintain the equipment you depend on.

Chainsaws, trimmers, brush cutters, and other motorized equipment can introduce ignition sources into the same vegetation you are trying to remove.

• Verify that the correct spark arrester is installed where required.
• Never remove, bypass, or modify a spark arrester.
• Maintain engines, exhaust systems, and spark arresters according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Correct fuel leaks and other mechanical problems before operating.
• Follow safe fueling procedures and avoid overfilling.
• Keep hot equipment away from dry grass and other combustible materials.

A spark arrester is one layer of protection. It does not eliminate fire risk or allow operation during a restriction.

Vehicles, Trailers & Roadside Fire Prevention

Protect our community wherever you travel.

Whether you are heading to work, hauling equipment, or taking a boat to the river, include fire prevention in your vehicle check.

• Never park or idle over dry grass or brush. Hot exhaust components can ignite vegetation beneath your vehicle.
• Secure trailer safety chains so they remain off the road while retaining the slack and attachment needed to function correctly.
• Check for loose components or anything dragging beneath your vehicle or trailer.
• Maintain tires and brakes. Exposed rims and metal-to-metal contact can produce sparks.
• Park on a suitable surface clear of vegetation.
• Carry an appropriate fire extinguisher and know how to use it.

A quick inspection before you leave can prevent a roadside fire miles from home.

Outdoor Burning & Recreation

Check every time. Conditions change.

Before burning yard debris, starting a recreational fire, or using an outdoor flame, confirm that the activity is allowed and determine whether a permit is required.

Do not rely on last week’s conditions, a neighbor’s advice, or permission that applies somewhere else. Check the requirements for your location and the day you intend to burn.

For activities within Umatilla Rural Fire Protection District, review our burning information or contact us with questions. On public lands or outside the District, check with the responsible agency.

Burn Information & Permits 

Make Fire Readiness Part of the Job

Before starting outdoor work, make sure you can answer yes to these questions:

• Have I checked the applicable restrictions?
• Are conditions suitable for the work?
• Is my equipment maintained and appropriate for the task?
• Have I addressed nearby ignition hazards?
• Is suitable extinguishing equipment immediately available?
• Can I call for help, provide my location, and move to safety?

If something is missing, address it before you start.

See a Fire? Call 911.

Give us the earliest possible opportunity to respond.

If you start or discover a vegetation fire, report it immediately. Do not delay calling while attempting to extinguish it yourself.

Tell dispatch:

• The address or closest road, intersection, or landmark.
• What is burning and whether structures or people are threatened.
• The safest access route, if you know it.

Move to safety, follow dispatch instructions, and keep roads and driveways clear for responding crews. Do not put yourself between a moving fire and your escape route.

Never assume someone else has already called.

We All Have a Part in Keeping Umatilla Safe.

Our firefighters serve this community because the people here matter to us. Every preventable fire puts someone’s home, livelihood, or loved ones at risk.

Choosing a safer time to mow, maintaining a spark arrester, securing a trailer chain, or postponing a repair may seem like a small decision. It can be the decision that keeps a routine day from becoming someone’s worst day.

Take the extra minute. Make the safer choice. Help us protect Umatilla.