Jackson Cooperative Travel Management Area – private lands within the JACTMA are closed due to Extreme Fire Danger until further notice

Central Point, Ore. – The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) declared fire season in southwestern Oregon on May 15 this year due to drought conditions, and Industrial Fire Precaution Level 2 (IFPL 2) went into effect on June 17, 2026. The ODF Southwest Oregon District is increasing the public use restrictions to Extreme in southwestern Oregon beginning 12:01 am on Friday, July 17, but IFPL levels will currently remain at level 2.

Hunters and recreationists who plan to use the Jackson Cooperative Travel Management Area (JACTMA) are reminded that the private and even some public lands that make up the hunt area will be limited this summer and fall depending on the declared fire risk. This will affect early season scouting activities and the first part of the fall bear season (beginning Aug. 1) but will be re-evaluated as we get closer to archery season.

With the current fire risk, all private lands within the JACTMA are currently closed. Furthermore, over half of the landlocked public lands within the JACTMA are accessed via privately owned and maintained roads and will be affected until conditions improve.

The largest component of closure within the TMA is the Olson Mountain Tract which is accessed between Cobleigh Rd. and the Butte Falls-Prospect Highway, including the Medco A & B roads, and Vine Maple Mainline from the east (Near Medco Pond). Southwest and south of the town of Butte Falls, the Gephert Butte R/W (35-2E-7.0) Rd., Hukill Creek Rd (35-2E-10.0), Lower Beekman (35-2E-16.0) and 35-2E-10.1 (connector between Hukill Creek Rd., and Medco Sec 15 Spur) are currently closed until conditions improve.

There are a few mainline public easement roads that will still remain open, including the Salt Creek Rd., Wassom Canyon Rd., Bowen Creek Mainline, Bowen Creek Rd., and U.S. Forest Service roads 3050, 3015, and 2800-100 in the southern portion of the JACTMA. However, hunters are asked not to leave the public roadways, and access to the private lands within the Area remains closed until conditions improve.

The cooperating industrial timber companies within JACTMA allow drive-through access on Green Dot roads through IFPL 1, to access neighboring public lands, unless during active forest or road maintenance operations. Outside of the TMA, many of their lands are closed during declared fire season.

Some cooperators still allow walk-in access on their lands at IFPL 1 when conditions improve. Check the Oregon Forestry Industry Council's private forest land closures resource page to find specific landowners. This page is updated throughout the year as conditions change and has contact information for participating industrial landowners.

Much of the BLM lands within the JACTMA are classified as Oregon & California Railroad Revested Lands (O&C Lands) and exist in a checkerboard landownership between private lands. Not all roads to public lands in this matrix of ownership are considered open for public travel with public easements.

Being on a forested gravel roadway during the declared fire season requires a minimum 1 gallon of water or 2.5-pound fire extinguisher, and a shovel in your vehicle as mandated by the ODF. Hunters and recreationists should always check with ODF fire precaution website for both public and IFPL levels before entering the JACTMA or planning to recreate on ODF protected lands during fire season.

The newest version of the JACTMA can be found as a georeferenced .pdf map here.