Prescribed Fire Update

Prineville, Oregon — After a hiatus from prescribed burning the last five days due to regional air stagnation, forecasted weather conditions favorable to burning on the Ochoco National Forest will allow fire managers to resume burning on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. The National Weather Service “air stagnation” warning will be lifted Tuesday morning. Forecasted winds show south to southwest winds coming into the area, which are expected to push the smoke out of communities in Crook County. A chance of rain is forecasted later in the week to follow the planned Tuesday and Wednesday ignitions.

Central Oregon –The Sisters Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest is planning a prescribed burn on Monday, October 22, if conditions remain favorable.

The prescribed burn area is located about 25 miles west of Culver and 28 miles north of Sisters. The 275 acre unit (Flymon 6) is located on Forest Service Road 1170 just east of Forest Service Road 11. The project will help improve wildlife habitat by reducing juniper and bitterbrush and will restore the ponderosa pine ecosystem by reintroducing low intensity fire. The prescribed burn will also help reduce fuels, increasing safety to nearby communities. Nearby roads will be signed, but no road closures are expected.

Due to poor transport winds to move smoke out of the area and conditions not meeting prescription on the unit, Canyon 20 planned ignitions for tomorrow (Thursday) have been postponed.  If conditions are favorable on Friday, fire managers are prepared to burn the Claypool Springs unit out near Spears Meadow.

Prescribed Burning Continues on the Ochoco National Forest

Prineville Oregon — Fire managers on the Ochoco National Forest accomplished the Lunch 1 prescribed burn on Tuesday. Decreasing the fuel loading of 400 acres of public lands up the Duncan Creek drainage. Lessening the severity of potential wildfire severity in the future, helping protect the private land in the area and improving the forage availability for wildlife.

Fire managers are planning for continued prescribed burn operations this week in two more units. If conditions remain favorable, Thursday firefighters will ignite the Canyon 20 unit. The 371 acre unit is located a half a mile west of Walton Lake just off of the 22 road.

Central Oregon –The Deschutes National Forest is planning for continued prescribed burn operations this week, if conditions remain favorable.

The Sisters Ranger District is planning a prescribed burn near Allingham Bridge in the Metolius River area on Wednesday, October 17. The 113 acre unit (Met WUI 13) is located at the junction of Forest Service Roads 1217 and 1420 about a mile northwest of Camp Sherman. Traffic flaggers will be in place to help if smoke becomes dense on the roadways. Smoke will be visible in the Camp Sherman area and it is recommended for local residents to close windows at night since smoke can settle in the river basin during cold nighttime conditions. The project will help reduce hazardous fuels in the area, encourage western larch regeneration, and improve wildlife habitat.

The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District is planning on continued burn operations in the vicinity of Cabin Lake and Hole in the Ground. So far this week, crews have successfully completed approximately 700 acres of prescribed burning. Firefighters plan to continue burning units Mx 2E and Mx 2F near Flat Top Butte on Wednesday and Thursday for approximately 700 additional acres. These units were previously prescribed burned in 2006 and the project will help ongoing management of reduced hazardous fuels as well as improve wildlife habitat and forest health. These ‘second entry’ prescribed fires help reintroduce and maintain the fire-adapted landscape with fire. Smoke may be visible in the Fort Rock area and along Hwy 31.