Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Pile Burning Continues in West Bend

BEND– Beginning today and continuing through the week, fuels specialists plan to burn 167 acres of piles near Dillion Falls west of Bend.

The units to be burned are approximately five miles west of Dillion Falls and are concentrations of leftover woody debris associated with previous vegetation management activities intended to remove hazardous fuels that can burn during summer wildfires. No road or trail closures are anticipated with this burning.

Open flames may be present for up to a day and smoke and steam could remain in the area for over a week. The public is reminded to not attempt to extinguish these piles if they see smoke or flame. Fuels specialists will be monitoring these sites until all piles are declared out.  

The units west of Bend can be viewed via the West Bend Interactive map here: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/webmaps/deschutes/west-bend/
 
However, if smoke drifts on to roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care. 

Fuels specialists follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs prescribed fires (including pile burning) and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health.


For more information, visit the Deschutes website at www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow us on twitter @CentralORFire.