Bulletin Board
Amy 15, 2026
Fire Season in Effect
Effective 12:01am, Friday, May 15, 2026, lands under Walker Range protection are in fire season restrictions.
The following acts are prohibited during fire season in accordance with ORS 477.510 and ORS 477.512:
(1) Smoking while working in or traveling through any operation area.
(2) The use of fuse and caps for blasting, unless approval is granted by the forester.
(3) The discharge of an exploding target inside the district or within one-eighth mile of the
district.
(4) 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.
closed fire season proclamation 2026
Regulated Closure – Phase 1 2026
Regulated Closure in Effect:
Under this Regulated Closure, except as to the owner’s legal right of entry upon their land, entry to all forestland is unlawful unless entrants comply with the following restrictions:
(1) Open fires are prohibited, including campfires, charcoal fires, cooking fires and warming fires, except at designated areas and residential home sites that are fully developed, landscaped,
and maintained when used in a cleared area that is free of flammable vegetation with the following precautions.
a. Build the campfire in an open area away from overhanging branches and clear of flammable material within a 10-foot diameter circle. Campfire pit must be dug down to mineral soil. Line the perimeter with rocks, building blocks, metal or concrete. Flame
length should not exceed two (2) feet in height.
b. No bonfires.
c. Do not leave fire unattended.
d. Have available at campfire site, a shovel, charged hose or 5 lb. ABC Fire Extinguisher.
e. Do not have a campfire under windy conditions.
f. Drown the campfire with water. Be sure all materials have been cooled and extinguished.
Do not bury the hot embers—campfires can smolder and escape your campfire ring during windy times.
g. No material will exceed the campfire perimeter, nothing overhanging the sides of the campfire perimeter.
h. No burning of household rubbish.
i. Portable cooking stoves using liquefied or bottled fuels are allowed.
Are you Prepared?
Are you prepared in the event of wildfire? There are steps you can take to better prepare you home and property. Steps that can make a difference in one weekend.
Walker Range offers free hazard assessments to landowners within our District boundaries. There are several parts to our grant programs:
- Free weekend residential chipping
- Fuel mitigation assistance
Call today to find out more. 541-433-2451.
Medford Weather Forecast
https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/fire2/?latitude=43.47&longitude=-121.65&latlon=Go&wfo=mfr&interface=fwzones
Walker Range F.P.A. History
On May 31, 1927, owners of Shevlin/Hixon Company, Fremont Land Company, Gilchrist Timber Company and Ralph E Gilchrist met to organize Walker Range Patrol Association. They adopted the By-laws of the organization, and elected the Board of Directors. Mr. C. L. Isted of Shevlin/Hixon was elected President and Mr. J. H. Haner was elected secretary.
Walker Range was formed for the preservation of forests generally and particularly for protection from fire, insect depredations, and other purposes.
The principal place of business was in Deschutes County in Bend, Oregon. It would embrace all timber lands of its members in or adjacent to Deschutes River Valley, also other lands over which it may assume cooperative protection within it’s boundaries.
The assessment rate in 1928 was one cent an acre for each association member. The first operating budget for 1929 was $10,085.00
The contract to protect state forestlands within Walker Range boundaries was signed May 2, 1931.
There were stations at Shevlin Station, LaPine and Crescent. There were lookouts on Pumice, Summit and McCarty Buttes.
In 1936 Walker Range Patrol Association bought LaPine Southern Telephone Company which ran from LaPine to the Fremont Highway near Fort Rock.
In 1938 Walker Range purchased from Gilchrist Timber Company a 4-ton capacity truck and a Caterpillar Cat with winch, lights and a trenching plow for $5800.00. The truck was a federal motor truck and the cat was a model 22.
On December 18, 1939 a contract to protect lands of the Deschutes and Fremont National Forests was signed that was within Walker Range boundaries.
In 1942 the Forest Service started to man McCarty Butte Lookout.
Mr. Isted retired from Shevlin/Hixon and as Walker Range President in 1944. He served as President for 17 years. There have only been six managers of Walker Range from the time of organization until present.
In 1950 Shevlin/Hixon sold the mill and timberlands to Brooks Scanlon.
Walker Range was incorporated in 1928, and in September 13, 1973 new articles of incorporation making the association non-profit were written.
In 1975 the boundary lines of Walker Range were changed, dropping Deschutes County and keeping Klamath and Lake Counties as our northern boundary.
The first major fire on Walker Range protection lands occurred July 15, 1990. That was Spring Butte fire, which burned 945 acres.
Over the years land was sold to the Fremont National Forest.
Gilchrist Timber Company bought the land of Mr. Ralph Gilchrist.
Brooks Scanlon bought Shevlin/Hixon.
Diamond International bought Brooks Scanlon.
Crown Pacific bought Diamond International.
Finally on October 1, 1991 Crown Pacific bought Gilchrist Timber Company making them our largest landowner.
Oregon Department of Forestry bought over 43,000 acres from Fidelity to form the Gilchrist State Forest in 2010. Oregon Department of Forestry purchased the remaining timberlands from The Conservation Fund. Walker Range FPA will continue providing fire protection for these acres.
Called Cascade Forest Resource LLC changed hands and is now Whitefish Cascade Timberlands.
Whitefish Cascade Timberlands changed their company name to Shanda Asset Management, LLC May 2017.
Long time Board Member Chris Johnson retired from Shanda Timberlands Asset December 2024.
