Firefighters will ignite prescribed burns outside of La Pine this weekend

Central Oregon – Firefighters are planning prescribed burns approximately 3 miles from La Pine on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
On Friday, ignitions are planned for 10:00 a.m. on Odin units 5 and 6 for a total of 175 acres east of La Pine and north of Forest Road 22. Firefighters will also be continuing to assist and support the Central Oregon Fire Instructor’s Association in a training for local and volunteer fire agencies by igniting a prescribed burn outside of Sunriver on Maintenance 5H (89 acres) to help and train individuals and agencies better respond to a wildland fire incident. These units are approximately 1.5 miles west of Sunriver near the junction of Forest Road 41 and Forest Road 4140 and 4180.
Firefighters outside of Sisters are slowing down burn operations today on the 68 acre SAFR 179 unit approximately 7 miles south of Sisters near Forest Road 1620 due to lower than forecasted relative humidity. If conditions remain favorable, this unit is scheduled to be completed on Friday.
On Saturday firefighters will continue burning in Odin units east of La Pine beginning with unit 4 for 343 acres and on Sunday if favorable wind and weather conditions persist, Odin unit 3 (239 acres) will be completed as well.
While no closures are expected with any of these burns, smoke may be visible from state highways and nearby Forest Roads and drivers may experience smoke impacts. For all prescribed fires, signs will be posted on significant nearby Forest roads and state highways that could be impacted. The public is encouraged to close their windows at night and if smoke is on the roadway, turn on headlights and slow down while traveling through smoky areas. The public’s health is important to the Forest Service. While significant preventive measures are taken, many factors influence a person’s susceptibility to smoke, including severity and duration of smoke exposure and a person’s health. If individuals feel impacted by smoke, they should avoid outdoor physical exertion and remain indoors. If people experience serious health impacts from the smoke, they should contact their doctor. For more information about smoke and health, visit the Oregon Health Authority recommendations through this link: https://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Preparedness/Prepare/Pages/PrepareForWildfire.aspx#health
Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs smoke from prescribed fires (including pile burning), and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health.
Keep up with prescribed burns in Central Oregon by visiting: https://www.centraloregonfire.org or text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive text alerts.
For more information, visit the Deschutes website at www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow us on twitter @CentralORFire.
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The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to State and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world.
The BLM manages more land – more than 245 million acres – than any other Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.