Officials Say Early Loss of Snowpack Increases Early Forest Fire Danger

Even though most of Oregon's mountains had normal or near-normal snowpack this winter, warm weather caused an early melt, shortening the snow season and setting the state on the road to a potentially early fire season.

That's the conclusion of a new report by the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Calling the warm spring temperatures that caused rapid melting of the snowpack "unusual," the report says "the implications of early snowmelt include below normal summer streamflow volumes, subsequent impacts on water users and wildlife, as well as the increased threat of early forest fire danger."

The report found that even though there was a strong period of rain in mid-May, it was too late, "the damage had already been done."

OREGON IS NOT THE ONLY AREA WITH PROBLEMS. THE SIERRAS IN CALIFORNIA ALSO HAVE A DIMINISHED SNOWPACK

Part of that damage could come in the form of drought.

While most of the state's reservoirs are in good shape now, the report find that with the "above normal temperatures" predicted for the summer by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, "could result in a higher demand on water resources and increased wildlife dangers."

The report notes that the US Drought Monitor shows there is already moderate drought in the southeastern part of the state and every other part of the state except the southwestern part is already considered "abnormally dry."