FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE April
22, 2015
Contact: Kassidy Kern, 541-383-5517
Four Prescribed Burns Scheduled This Week Across the Deschutes
National Forest
Ignitions planned near Two Rivers North Subdivision, Sunriver and Camp
Sherman
CENTRAL OREGON – Beginning tomorrow and
continuing through Friday, fuels specialists on the Deschutes National Forest intend
to ignite several prescribed burns across the forest beginning in the southern
portion of the forest near Two Rivers North Subdivision, and southeast of Bend near No Name Butte, then moving north to
Sunriver area and Camp Sherman/Metolius Meadows on Friday.
If conditions remain favorable on Thursday, ignitions
totaling 258 acres will be divided between two distinct areas near
the intersection of Highways 97 and 58 proximate to the Two Rivers North
subdivision. Thirty-three acres are planned to be burned just
east of the Two Rivers North subdivision and 225 acres are planned to be burned
approximately 1 mile south of the Two Rivers North subdivision. Because these
prescribed fires fall within the boundary of the Walker Range Community
Wildfire Protection Plan, a specific project objective is to reduce hazardous
fuels within the wildland urban interface.
Also on Thursday, fuels specialists are planning to execute a 232 acre burn 35 miles southeast of Bend near No Name Butte. The objective of this burn is to reduce dwarf mistletoe infection in the trees, reduce the potential of high severity wildfires and reintroduce fire as a natural process into the ecosystem. Ignitions for this burn could take up to two days to complete.
On Friday, fuels specialists will be burning three units
near Sunriver. The first is a 61 acre section adjacent to and east of Sunriver
along County Road 40. The next one totals 40 acres and will take place 1 mile
northwest of Sugar Pine Butte along Forest Road 9720. If weather conditions
remain favorable, fuels specialists will attempt the final, 12 acre burn ½ mile
southeast of the High Desert Museum. If this burn is not completed on Friday,
fuels specialists will come back and complete it on Monday if conditions allow.
These burns are located within the
congressionally designated Deschutes Skyline Collaborative Forest Landscape
Restoration which receives funding towards accelerated forest restoration and
is part of an Oregon State University study evaluating short and long term
effects of four silviculture treatments on stand structural development. The
objective for these burns is to reduce fuels and restore forest health in areas
that were historically maintained by frequent low intensity fire.
Also on Friday, fuels specialists in Sisters will
be burning a 186 acre unit approximately 1 ½ miles northwest of Camp Sherman/Metolius
between Forest Road 12 and 1420. The objective of this burn is to minimize the
risk of high intensity wildfire and reduce hazardous fuels within the wildland
urban interface.
No road closures are anticipated with any of the
projects although drivers can expect road flaggers on Road 40 into Sunriver
during periods of time where dense smoke may limit visibility. Smoke from the operations
near the Two Rivers North subdivision could be visible from Highways 58 and 97
as well as County Road 61. Smoke from the burn near No Name Butte will be visible from portions of Hwy 31, LaPine, and Ft Rock. Smoke from
the operations near Camp Sherman could be visible to the communities of Camp
Sherman and visitors to House on the Metolius. If smoke drifts on to local
roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with
care.
Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined
in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs
prescribed fires, and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public
health. Once ignited, units are monitored
and patrolled until they are declared out.
For more information, visit the Deschutes
National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow us
on Twitter @CentralORFire.
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