LA GRANDE — With numerous major wildfires burning and the potential for more blazes to start, all private lands under Oregon’s Access and Habitat program in Northeastern Oregon are closed to the public.

These access areas are closed: 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.

Manulife Forest Management (formerly Hancock) also closed its properties due to the extreme fire danger.

Upland Cooperative Access Program lands that allow year-round Welcome to Hunt access are closed as well, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Under the Access and Habitat program, private landowners allow access to their lands in exchange for annual payments from the state.

Hunters, anglers and others who use Access and Habitat properties can find more information and links to where to check for other private land forest closures at myodfw.com/articles/hunting-and-fire-danger-oregon.

Areas will reopen once predicted fire danger and fire behavior is reduced and fire resources are again available. ODFW will announce when areas have reopened to access.

Public land closures

Wildfires have also prompted the U.S. Forest Service to close the Malheur National Forest to public entry.

On the Umatilla National Forest, much of the North Fork John Day Ranger District is closed to public entry due to several fires burning in the area.

Portions of the North Fork John Day district north of Highway 244 remain open, including Bear Wallow Creek and Lane Creek, while all Forest Service lands, trails and roads south of Highway 244 are temporarily closed. This does not apply to state, county or non-Forest Service federal roads.

This closure includes Olive Lake Campground and Olive Lake on the south side of the district.

Campfires are prohibited on all public lands across the region, as is chain saw use for firewood cutting.