Deschutes National Forest seeks public input on revised fuels reduction plan covering nearly 153,000 acres

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Deschutes National Forest announced Tuesday it is seeking public input on its Fuels Maintenance Treatments Project, covering nearly 153,000 acres across the east side of the forest in Deschutes, Jefferson, Klamath and Lake counties.

Since 2000, the Deschutes National Forest has planned and implemented hazardous fuels reduction projects to reduce the risk of undesirable wildfire impacts to the communities and infrastructure of Central Oregon.

"There is a need to maintain and improve the conditions in these previously treated areas to continue to promote forest resilience against large-scale disturbance events such as high-intensity wildfire, damaging insects, and disease," the announcement said.

The proposal includes maintenance treatments for almost 153,000 acres, including around 91,000 acres within the Wildland Urban Interface.

The treatments would occur in areas that were previously treated between 2000 and 2020. In most units, implementation would occur roughly 10 years after previous hazardous fuels reduction work was completed, or when fuel conditions would lead to elevated fire risk.

Maintenance treatments would include thinning, mowing and mastication, and prescribed burning. Treatments may be applied individually or in combination to meet the desired condition for each unit.

The public comment period comes nearly two years after the forest initially invited “scoping” comments on the fuels reduction project, which at that time was expected could cover a much larger area, of 275,000 acres.

In the new draft environmental assessment, the Forest Service said the plans were modified in several ways in response to scoping comments and further specialist review. For example, all northern spotted owl nesting, roosting and foraging habitat was dropped, as were all units within the Northwest Forest Plan boundaries.

The 30-day comment period opened Tuesday and closes on Thursday, May 8. Comments received after the close of the 30-day comment period will be considered but will not have standing for objection, officials said.

Comments may be submitted electronically using CARA (Comment Analysis and Response Application). This is the preferred method for receiving comments, officials said. Submit electronic comments using CARA by clicking the Comment on this Project link in the right-side menu of the project webpage or by going directly to https://cara.fs2c.usda.gov/Public//CommentInput?Project=63892.

Comments may also be submitted by mail to Holly Jewkes, c/o Cristina Peterson, Deschutes National Forest, 63095 Deschutes Market Road, Bend, OR 97701.

The draft Environmental Analysis (EA) can be viewed on the Deschutes National Forest website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/deschutes/?project=63892. Members of the public may contact Cristina Peterson, Assistant Forest Environmental Coordinator, at 541-383-5578 or cristina.peterson@usda.gov to request a copy of the EA or ask questions about the project.