Prescribed burn planned Thursday near Camp Sherman

If conditions are favorable, fuels specialists with the Sisters Ranger District on the Deschutes National Forest will use prescribed fire techniques starting Thursday to burn 170 acres in the Metolius Basin.

The burn is planned in an area 1 miles northwest of Camp Sherman and mile southwest of the Jack Creek Campground.

Smoke will be visible and could impact Camp Sherman and the surrounding areas. Signs will be posted on Forest Roads 12 and 1420 in the Metolius Basin to alert travelers and residents to the operations.

Objectives of this prescribed fire include reducing hazardous fuels in a historically fire-adapted ecosystem and improving wildlife habitat, officials said.

Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs prescribed fires, and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health. Once ignited, units are monitored and patrolled until they are declared out.

For more information, check out our new interactive map by visiting the Deschutes National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow us on Twitter @CentralORFire.