Prescribed Fire Planned Adjacent to Black Butte Ranch

              

Prescribed Fire Planned Adjacent to Black Butte Ranch

SISTERS – Given favorable weather conditions, Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists on the Sisters Ranger District plan to conduct a prescribed burn as early as tomorrow and continuing through Friday. Up to 212 acres could be burned adjacent to Black Butte Ranch and ¼ mile south of Highway 20 in the Glaze Meadow area. 

The prescribed fire is part of the Glaze Meadow Restoration Project, a project which was accomplished through close collaboration between the Forest Service, public, and representatives from both the environmental and timber communities.  Black Butte Ranch will likely be impacted by smoke as a result of this project. 

Due to the location of these units, the public could see smoke and drivers may experience smoke impacts on Highway 20, throughout Black Butte Ranch and along Forest Road 300. For all prescribed fires, signs will be posted on significant nearby Forest roads and state highways that could be impacted.  No road closures are anticipated with these projects.

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. For more information, visit the Ochoco/Deschutes website at www.fs.usda.gov/centraloregon  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.