Prescribed burning planned for Ochocos this week

PRINEVILLE, Ore.—Fire managers on the Ochoco National Forest plan to burn around 800 acres of downed juniper this week, otherwise known as juniper jackpot burning.

The Upper Beaver burn unit is located about 15 miles northeast of Paulina, near the Rager Ranger Station on the Paulina Ranger District.

The prescribed burn is scheduled to start around 1030 am Thursday, March 31, and continue for up to three days pending favorable weather.

Light smoke will be visible from Forest Service Road 58 during ignitions, and might linger for several days following the burn. Road signs will be posted but no other impacts to travelers are expected.

The burning of this juniper is intended to provide better connectivity of sage grouse habitat, improve critical winter range for big game and simultaneously reduce hazardous fuel loading to lower the risk of large-scale wildfire across the landscape.

The project is made possible with funding from the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

If you want to receive email notifications prior to prescribed burns on the Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland, send a request to Assistant Fire Management Officer Sam Pearcy at spearcy@fs.fed.us

For media inquiries, contact Patrick Lair at plair@fs.fed.us or (541) 416-6647  

Juniper slash burning planned for Grassland tomorrow

PRINEVILLE, Ore.—Fire managers on the Crooked River National Grassland plan to burn 227 acres of juniper slash tomorrow afternoon pending favorable weather.

The burn unit is located near the intersection of SE Grizzly Road and the powerlines, about 3 miles northeast of the Rimrock Springs Wildlife Management Area located along Highway 26.

The juniper slash is left over from personal firewood cutting. The burn is part of a hazardous fuels reduction project to reduce the potential for an unwanted, high intensity wildfire.

Light smoke will be visible during ignitions, which are scheduled to start at noon tomorrow and continue throughout the afternoon.

Light smoke may linger for several days and be visible to passing motorists along the highway, but no other impacts to travelers are expected.

If you want to receive email notifications prior to prescribed burns on the Ochoco National Forest and Crooked River National Grassland, send a request to Assistant Fire Management Officer Sam Pearcy at spearcy@fs.fed.us

For media inquiries, contact Patrick Lair at plair@fs.fed.us or (541) 416-6647  

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