Central
Oregon – With consistently warmer temperatures, fire managers on the
Deschutes National Forest will be taking advantage of favorable weather
conditions and begin igniting prescribed burns across the Deschutes National
Forest as early as Monday.
The first burn will take place on April 2, approximately 2 ½ miles
west of Sisters, ½ mile west of the Tollgate subdivision and 1 mile north of
Crossroads subdivision. The burn unit (SAFR NE 231) is 95 acres and should be
completed in one day.
Burning in this unit is designed to decrease hazardous fuels
accumulations within the Wildland Urban Interface near to the city of Sisters
and surrounding communities to reduce the risk of high intensity wildfire as
well as improving wildlife habitat.
Burning is likely to continue later next week across the forest and in
the weeks ahead. Several high profile burns are planned around Sisters, Bend,
La Pine and Sunriver, including units west and south of Bend, adjacent to
Sisters and near the High Desert Museum. Notifications will be made when each
potential unit comes into prescription, meaning when precise wind and weather conditions
are forecasted and fire staff is available to execute the burns safely.
Due to the location of these units, the public could see smoke and
drivers may experience smoke impacts on nearby highways and Forest roads. For
all prescribed fires, signs will be posted on significant nearby Forest roads
and state highways that could be impacted.
No road closures are anticipated with these projects. The public is encouraged to close their windows
at night and if smoke is on the roadway, turn on headlights and slow down while
traveling through smoky areas. The public’s health is important to the Forest
Service. While significant preventive measures are taken, many factors
influence a person’s susceptibility to smoke, including severity and duration
of smoke exposure and a person’s health. If individuals feel impacted by smoke,
they should avoid outdoor physical exertion and remain indoors. If people experience
serious health impacts from the smoke, they should contact their doctor. For
more information about smoke and health, visit the Oregon Health Authority
recommendations through this link: http://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Preparedness/Prepare/Pages/PrepareForWildfire.aspx#health
Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon
Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs smoke from prescribed
fires (including pile burning), and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility
and public health.
Keep up with prescribed burns in Central Oregon by visiting this live
map: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/webmaps/deschutes/cofms-rxfire/
For more information, visit the Deschutes website at
www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow us on twitter @CentralORFire.
-End-
The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to
sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and
grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The Agency
manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to State and
private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in
the world.
The
BLM manages more land – more than 245 million acres - than any other Federal
agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily
located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of
about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral
estate throughout the nation. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the
health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of
present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such
activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and
energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other
resources on public lands.
