Prescribed burn planned Monday east of Sunriver

On Monday, firefighters are planning a prescribed burn east of the Sunriver Business Park and west of Highway 97 on the Deschutes National Forest.

Ignitions are planned for around 9 a.m. on Bon West units 2, 3 and potentially 4 for a total of 395 acres east of Sunriver and south of South Century Drive (Forest Road 40). Ignitions could last up to three days to complete these units, officials said Friday.

While no closures are expected with these prescribed burns, there may be a delay in traffic on Highway 97 due to smoke impacting the highway. Oregon Department of Transportation personnel will be in place on Highway 97 and South Century Drive to ensure the safety of the public traveling on the road.

Smoke will be visible from state highways and nearby forest roads and drivers may experience smoke impacts. 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, the agency said. 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: http://www.centraloregonfire.org or text ” COFIRE ” to 888-777 to receive text alerts.

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