Plans to burn 80 acres of slash piles in the Ochocos this week

The Ochoco National Forest plans to burn around 80 acres of downed wood debris this week in the area of Rush Spring, 25 miles northeast of Prineville, and about 2 miles south of Highway 26 and the Mark’s Creek subdivision along Forest Service Road 2620.

Weather conditions permitting, the ignitions would start tomorrow, Thursday, November 10, in the morning, and last one or two days. Smoke is expected to be visible along the Highway 26 corridor, but no other impacts to traffic or nearby residences are expected.

The slash is left over from previous thinning treatments. Fire managers plan to burn the material this week in order to reduce the heavy fuel loading and prepare the area for a previously-planned prescribed burn at some point in the future.