Summer may be waning, but river boating and other recreational activities are still going strong. But officials want people to be careful, especially in areas affected by wildfires. KLCC's Brian Bull reports on forestry officials' concerns over the risks collapsed trees and rocks in waterways near fire zones pose to boaters.
Even if a fire’s contained and largely mopped-up, damage to the surrounding trees and landscape can mean unstable terrain.
In the case of the McKenzie River, the Oregon State Marine Board has announced closures. That includes the Olallie Campground, where the Knoll Fire has caused trees and boulders to fall in.
Nonetheless, a woman floated by on her inflatable kayak, headed downriver.
"Be safe!" I called out.
"Yeah, okay, thank you," she replied.
Ed Hiatt, Interagency Fire Staff Officer for Northwest Oregon, looked on.
“Well, as any of these trees burn out at the base, the roots become weak. Some of them will fall into the river when they’re close to the edge, and that creates a river hazard for boaters.”
The Oregon State Marine Board and state forests both encourage boaters to check current closures and hazards on their websites.
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