Metolius Basin prescribed burn set to continue Monday on 313 acres east of Camp Sherman

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) – If conditions remain favorable, firefighters on the Sisters Ranger District plan to continue prescribed burning in the Metolius Basin directly east of Camp Sherman on Monday, the Deschutes National Forest said Saturday.

The Sisters Ranger District plans to conduct 313 acres of prescribed burning in the Metolius Basin directly adjacent to the east side of Forest Service Road 14, just east of Camp Sherman. The public is asked to avoid Forest Service Roads 14 and 1120 in the area of the prescribed burn. Firefighting traffic will be present along these roads and firefighters will be using these routes to conduct ignition operations.

Ignitions on the Met-WUI 24 Prescribed Burn are planned for 9 a.m. on Monday. Smoke will be visible in the Metolius Basin, Sisters and surrounding areas. Residents in Camp Sherman and the surrounding area could experience smoke impacts overnight and in the early morning hours. Residents in these areas are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to decrease smoke impacts.

This prescribed burn is occurring within the Central Oregon Landscape, one of 21 focal landscapes identified within the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The implementation of this prescribed burn supports the Deschutes National Forest’s commitment to addressing the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to reduce severity of wildfires, protect communities, and improve the health and resiliency of fire-dependent forests.

Prescribed burns can protect homes from tragic wildfires. Fire management officials work with Oregon Department of Forestry smoke specialists to plan prescribed burns. Prescribed burns are conducted when weather is most likely to move smoke up and away from our communities. While prescribed fire managers take significant preventive measures, it’s likely that communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after a prescribed burn. 

What does this mean for you? What does this mean for you?

During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight and in the early morning hours.

• All residents are encouraged to close doors and windows at night to avoid smoke impacts.
• If available, use a portable air cleaner. Air cleaners work best running with doors and windows closed. You can also create a DIY air cleaner.
• If you have a central air system, use it to filter air. Use high-efficiency filters if possible.
• When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down, turn on headlights and turn air to recirculating.
• If you have heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, pay attention to how you feel and if symptoms of heart or lung disease worsen, consider contacting your health care professional.
• Go to centraloregonfire.org to learn more about smoke safety and prescribed burning in Central Oregon and visit When Smoke is in the Air for more smoke preparedness resources.

For more information on prescribed burning in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org/ and for information specific to the Deschutes National Forest visit www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes. Follow us on X/Twitter @CentralORFire. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive wildfire and prescribed fire text alerts.