Several Access and Habitat areas that closed in July due to fire danger have reopened to public access.
According to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, the following access areas have reopened, effective immediately: M.R King Ranches, Troy Ranches, Iron Mountain, Virtue Flat, Foster Ranch, Glass Hill, Owsley Canyon, Bear Creek, Carman Ranch, Harshfield Ranch, Divide Ridge, Heppner Regulated Hunt Area, Social Ridge, Four Mile and Bunker Hill.
These areas closed in July due to extraordinary fire conditions, including a lack of firefighting resources and severe weather. While fire conditions and threat risk are still extreme, they have returned to more typical August conditions for the region.
Manulife (formerly Hancock) Forest Management Lands in northeast Oregon remain closed for now.
Hunters and others accessing these areas should follow all local fire restrictions which typically include no campfires, no off-road vehicle travel, and the requirement to carry a 2.5 pound fire extinguisher in a vehicle or ATV. More information on local restrictions can be found at the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center.
