LA GRANDE — All-terrain vehicles are again rolling at the Mount Emily Recreation Area.

ATVs are reappearing at MERA after the Union County Board of Commissioners voted Wednesday, Aug. 4, to open its improved roads and its motocross track immediately to motor vehicles. MERA had been closed since July 21 because of high fire danger due to drought and hot weather.

The roads opened are Road 201, known as Mainline; Road 202-Mount Emily Road; Road 203-Highline Road and Road 208-Easy Out Road. These are all rough dirt and gravel roads with no flammable vegetation. Everyone taking a vehicle on these roads must have an ATV permit. Only people with four-wheel drive vehicles with high road clearance should use these roads because they are so rough, said Sean Chambers, Union County’s parks coordinator.

Anyone driving on these roads must carry water and a shovel because of Oregon Department of Forestry fire rules.

The motocross trail now open again is near Fox Hill Road and is for motorcycles. All motorcycles using this trail also must carry a shovel and have water close by, Chambers said.

The Aug. 4 action by the commissioners was the second move toward fully reopening MERA after the July vote that completely closed it. MERA was reopened for nonmotorized activities on July 28.

Significant fire restrictions still are in place at MERA where no camping or smoking is allowed.

The continuing reopening of MERA reflects the increasing moisture the Grande Ronde Valley has received in recent weeks and cooler temperatures. It also reflects a recent increase in available wildfire fighting equipment, according to Union County Commissioner Donna Beverage.

Beverage said a number of firefighting vehicles belonging to Union County fire departments had been out of the county fighting fires but have since returned.