Prineville, Ore. – If conditions remain favorable, firefighters are planning a 2,560 acre prescribed burn north of Big Summit Prairie on the Ochoco National Forest. Ignitions will begin tomorrow and are expected to take approximately five days to complete.
Crews will be lighting the prescribed burn in HEJ burn blocks 1-7, with low intensity fire reducing hazardous fuels and improving the condition of riparian vegetation along stream and riverbanks. Ignitions are planned for 10:00 a.m. Friday and firefighters are planning to burn 1-2 blocks a day for 500-700 acres until ignitions are complete. Firefighters from each division of the Central Oregon Fire Management Service (Ochoco and Deschutes National Forest and Prineville District Bureau of Land Management) in addition to Crook County Fire and Rescue, Sunriver Fire Department and the Alfalfa Fire District will be working together to successfully implement the burn and hold fire along fire lines and roads.
When ignitions are complete, firefighters will mop-up and patrol the perimeter for the next several weeks. No closures are anticipated with this operation. However, if smoke drifts on to roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care.
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://centraloregonfire.org
For more information, visit the Ochoco website at www.fs.usda.gov/ochoco 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.
