Central Oregon — Fire managers on the Ochoco National Forest have been watching the forecasted weather looking for a burn window between archery and rifle hunting seasons to accomplish the 4,685-acre Canyon prescribed burn announced previously. With the forecasted chance of precipitation that did not come about last week, and the drop in confidence of precipitation to come in the next week, the burn will be postponed to a later date.
PRINEVILLE, Ore.— Fire managers on the Ochoco National Forest are working southwest of Walton Lake to prepare the Canyon prescribed burn area for ignition in late September. The use of prescribed fire in this area is intended to reduce hazardous fuels and improve big game habitat. The burn unit covers 4,685 acres southwest of Walton Lake on the north side of Forest Service road 22 (see attached map).
If conditions remain favorable, firefighters on the Deschutes National Forest plan to ignite a prescribed burn off of China Hat Road tomorrow. On Monday, June 4, ignitions are scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m. on South Bend 137, a 250-acre unit south of Bend adjacent to Lost Tracks Golf Course and China Hat Road. The Deschutes National Forest has partnered with Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for this burn which is intended to improve habitat for wildlife as well as reduce hazardous fuels accumulations within the Wildland Urban Interface near Bend. Bend Fire will be assisting in the burn along with the Prineville Interagency Hotshots.
The Deschutes National Forest and High Desert Museum are partnering to conduct a prescribed burn on both High Desert Museum property and Forest Service managed lands adjacent to the museum tomorrow. If conditions remain favorable, firefighters will begin burning at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 23. High Desert Museum (HDM) will delay opening tomorrow but visitors are invited to use and enjoy the museum beginning at 12:00 p.m. Three units are scheduled for ignitions including the 74 acre High Desert Museum unit and two South Bend units on the Deschutes National Forest for a total of 121 acres.
If conditions remain favorable firefighters will conduct prescribed burns tomorrow near Bend and Hole in the Ground. A prescribed burn located in the Shevlin Park area will be highly visible to residents of Bend. The 77-acre burn will be located directly north of Skyliner’s Road (Forest Road 4601) across from the Phil’s Trailhead turn-off. Smoke likely will impact Skyliner’s Road, Phil’s Trailhead and the western portions of the Tetherow neighborhood during the burn. Ignitions on the burn are expected to begin around 9 or 10 a.m. and be completed by 2 p.m.
