More prescribed burning Wednesday near Crescent, Sunriver

Deschutes National Forest firefighters on Wednesday will ignite a 35-acre prescribed burn outside of Crescent and complete the Bon West unit 1 adjacent to Sunriver.

Firefighters on the Crescent Ranger District will ignite a prescribed burn in unit Bee 15 approximately 1.5 miles northeast of the Highway 97/58 junction near Crescent.

Additionally, firefighters will continue burning in Bon West Unit 1, approximately a mile west of Sunriver, south of South Century Drive. This unit is 211 acres and firefighters were able to complete about 150 acres of it on Tuesday.

Firefighters took their time Tuesday to ensure that the burn will reduce the hazardous fuel buildup next to the community of Sunriver while also meeting objectives for the enhancement of wildlife habitat and the preservation of the scenic corridor along South Century Drive. The final 50 acres of the unit are scheduled for ignitions at 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

As with the previous Bon West units, smoke could impact South Century Drive and Highway 97. 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.

For all prescribed fires, signs will be posted on significant nearby forest roads and state highways that could be impacted. 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 says. 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 .