Prescribed Burning Will Close Phil’s Trailhead Parking Area on Friday Second Prescribed Burn on Saturday Will Be North of “Good Dog” Area

     

Prescribed Burning Will Close Phil’s Trailhead Parking Area on Friday
Second Prescribed Burn on Saturday Will Be North of “Good Dog” Area

BEND – Given continued favorable weather conditions, fuels specialists are scheduled to ignite two prescribed burns on Friday and Saturday in the West Bend Project area.

On Friday, a 119 acre prescribed burn will take place adjacent to Phil’s trailhead with ignitions beginning at 11:00am. Phil’s Trailhead parking area will be closed on the day of the burn due to the need for fire vehicles and personnel to be in close proximity to the burn area.  Forest Road 4604, which accesses the trailhead from Skyliners Road, will also be closed to the public on the day of the burn. The trail system will largely remain open on Friday with the exception of an approximately one mile trail closure on Skills Loop that will be in place for up to two days.  Mountain bikers and hikers can still access the trail system from other access points but are also reminded to take advantage of other mountain biking opportunities in the area, including the trail system at Wanoga Sno-Park, which is located approximately 20 minutes from Phil’s Trailhead.

The prescribed burn slated for Saturday, June 6, is a 136 acre unit located on the western edge of Bend adjacent to Cascade Lakes Highway, north of and across the highway from the “Good Dog” area. Forest Road 010 will be closed during the burn which is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. and should be completed by 1:00 p.m.  Trail closures will be in place beginning Saturday including COD from Jct. 50 near Entrada to ELV at Jct. 20.

The winds forecasted for both burn areas are expected to push smoke up and over Bend, which will limit impacts to the community. However smoke will be highly visible from the Bend and the surrounding areas.  Residences and businesses in the area are advised to keep their windows and doors closed during the night hours when there is the greatest potential for smoke in the area to linger.  Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs controlled burns, and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health.

Hazards, including fire weakened trees and areas of hot ash, will exist in the burn area for 1-2 weeks or more after burn implementation.  It is advised that recreationists remain on the trails and roads, and that dogs remain on leash when travelling around the burn area. If smoke drifts on to roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care.  The smoke will dissipate after ignitions have been completed, but smoke could be visible in the burn area for an additional 2-3 days. Fuels specialists will be monitoring the burn area through the weekend and into next week.

Background:

The West Bend Vegetation Project is the first project to be implemented through a partnership with the Deschutes Collaborative Forest Project (DCFP), an organization bringing a diverse group of stakeholders together with the Forest Service to design and plan treatment options for highly valued and historically controversial areas. DCFP was created through the Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration (CFLR) Program in 2010 which awarded the Deschutes National Forest with a 10-year, $10.1 million grant to restore 145,000 acres of forest in Central Oregon.  In the summer of 2013 the restoration area was approved for an expansion, bringing the total to approximately 257,000 acres and stretching from Black Butte and Bend to Sunriver and Mt. Bachelor.

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