Prescribed burn ends; ‘unhealthy’ smoke lifts in Prineville

(Update: Residents comment on burn)

A nearly 5,100-acre prescribed burn about 30 miles east of Prineville, near Walton Lake, wrapped up late Wednesday, but not before the resulting smoke blew westward into the community, resulting in unhealthy air-quality levels, officials said.

Ignitions on the Canyon 66 Fire were completed Wednesday night, Ochoco National Forest Public Affairs Officer Patrick Lair said.

Smoky skies were clearing in Prineville Thursday morning, according to Lair and Crook County Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Vicky Ryan.

“The inversion lifted, but you can still smell the smoke,” Ryan said. “Hopefully the wind will blow it out.”

Lair said he expects air quality to improve throughout the day, Friday and into the weekend. Predicted thunderstorms also could help disperse the smoke.

“The unit will continue producing smoke over the next two weeks as interior pockets of fuels burn or smolder, but it will be a significant reduction over what we have experienced yesterday and this morning,” he added.

The Oregon DEQ’s air quality monitoring site still showed a PM 2.5 particulate reading of 157 Thursday morning, in the “unhealthy” category. By 1 p.m., it had dropped to 125, or “unhealthy for sensitive groups,” as thunderstorms rumbled through the region. By late afternoon, it was down to the 58 (moderate) category.

More from the Forest Service on the just-concluded burn:

Ignnition of the 5,072 acre Canyon 66 prescribed burn was completed yesterday around 11 pm, approximately 30 miles east of Prineville on the Ochoco National Forest.

Firefighters are now securing the burn perimeter and taking care of hazards to public and firefighter safety. Smoke from the unit will be visible in coming days as fire continues to burn in the interior.

Forest visitors are encouraged to use Forest Service Road 4210 again Thursday (east of Round Mountain) to access the Walton Lake area.

Firefighters are currently addressing hazards along Forest Road 22 between the junctions with Forest Roads 42 and 2210. They hope to have the route clear for safe travel by the end of Thursday. Forest Roads 2610 and 300 remain temporarily closed within the prescribed fire operational area.

Smoke has impacted surrounding communities at different times over the last 48 hours. Prevailing winds help to disperse smoke during the daylight hours while smoke tends to settle at lower points overnight. Heavy smoke has dissipated in the late mornings and early afternoons as the air heats up and the inversion lifts.

Lair responded to some residents voicing concerns about why burns are being conducted so late into the fire season.

“The fuels have been cooler and wetter than they usually would be,” Lair said. “If we had waited two weeks, waited a month, it would have been too cool and wet for us to have a good prescribed burn. The fuels would not have consumed — it was that green up there. We were trying to balance the timing of that burn against the big (Labor Day) holiday weekend.”

Air quality is expected to improve significantly in the coming days, now that major ignitions have ended. A spot weather forecast for the burn area showed a likely chance of showers and thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening. Stronger winds were expected to help disperse smoke to the east and northeast.

While the ignition phase is complete, firefighters have more work to do. Using water and hand tools, firefighters “mop up” around the burn perimeter to ensure fire stays within the unit.

They preserve large trees and prevent hazards by putting out fire burning at the base of the trunk. They also assess and cut any hazard trees along forest roads and trails to ensure safe travel.

Engine crews and fire managers will continue to patrol the burn for several weeks.

Ryan issued this health advisory Thursday morning:

With the current Canyon 66 Prescribed Fire about 30 miles east of Prineville on the Ochoco National Forest also comes very smoky air. Crook County Public Health officials are urging people across Central Oregon to take precautions as smoke from wildfires and prescribed burns affect the air quality and may cause health problems.

“The combination of higher temperatures and fire smoke in the area may increase the risk of illness especially for older adults, young children, and people with asthma, respiratory, or heart conditions,” said Vicky Ryan, emergency preparedness coordinator at the Crook County Health Department.

There are many things that can be done to help improve the air quality when prescribed burns occur in the area.

“I always suggest that people with compromised immune systems stay out of the smoke, so stay indoors if possible,” said Ryan. “Do not increase the amount of particulates you’re breathing inside your home by smoking in your home with no windows open, or burning your wood stove or fireplace, if at all possible.”

Effects of smoke exposure

Particles in the air can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, causing cough, phlegm production, wheezing, difficulty breathing, headache and inflammation in the lungs. Most healthy adults and children will recover quickly from smoke exposure and will not suffer long‐term health consequences. Persons with compromised airways such as lung disease are at risk for exacerbations . Persons with heart disease may experience shortness of breath, chest tightness or pain, palpitations, or unusual fatigue or lightheadedness. Children are at higher risk from smoke exposure, because they tend to spend more time outside, engage in more vigorous activity, and inhale more air per pound of body weight. Pregnant women are at increased risk of adverse health effects, as is the developing fetus. Persons age 65 and older are more likely to have pre‐existing heart or lung disease, and have a greater risk than younger persons of hospitalization and premature death associated with smoke exposure. Public health officials urge all Crook County residents to take the following precautions to avoid health problems during smoky conditions.

Reduce the amount of time spent outdoors. This can usually provide some protection, especially in a tightly closed, air-conditioned house in which the air conditioner can be set to re-circulate air instead of bringing in outdoor air. Reduce the amount of time engaged in vigorous outdoor physical activity. This can be an important and effective strategy to decrease exposure to inhaled air pollutants and minimize health risks during a smoke event. Reduce other sources of indoor air pollution such as burning cigarettes and candles; using gas, propane, and wood burning stoves and furnaces; cooking; and vacuuming. Individuals with heart disease or lung diseases such as asthma should follow their health care providers’ advice about prevention and treatment of symptoms. If you have no other way to get away from the smoke in the air check out the designated clean air spaces in the Prineville area such as the Public Library for all ages and Lutheran Community Services NW Community Center for adults. For more information about your community’s air quality, visit: http://airnow.gov/ Refer to the Oregon Smoke Blog: http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com for smoke information in your area as a tool to help guide your health behaviors and actions. For additional information, visit Oregon Public Health’s Prepare for Wildfire page: http://www.oregon.gov/ oha /PH/Preparedness/Prepare/Pages/PrepareForWildfire.aspx