Central Oregon smoke is coming from outside the area

Hazy skies over Central Oregon are due to wildfires within the state, but there are currently no large fires in the Central Oregon Fire Management Service area.

A heavy smoke moved across Central Oregon today, leading to a flurry of inquiries about wildfire activity.

Local firefighters continue to respond to small, human-caused fires, but there are no large incidents putting up smoke right now on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, the Prineville BLM or the Crooked River National Grassland.

According to the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center in Portland, a 900-acre wildfire was reported yesterday about 12 miles east of Warm Springs.

The Stouts Fire, about 16 miles east of Canyonville, Ore., is 22,501 acres and 35 percent contained, according to the fire’s information office.

Smoke from these and other fires can drift into Central Oregon when driven by wind.

More information about fires in Oregon can be found online from InciWeb at http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

Or from the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center at http://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/information/fire_info.aspx

REMINDER: Fire danger across public lands in Central Oregon remains extremely high.

Campfires are only allowed within fire rings at designated campgrounds and chainsaw use is prohibited until conditions moderate.

Help us stay fire safe this year by knowing the rules and helping to prevent human-caused fires.

More info on restrictions here: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ochoco/news-events/?cid=STELPRD3844498