Pile burning planned near Crane Prairie Reservoir

Starting Friday, Deschutes National Forests fuels specialists will be burning piles of chipped material 3 miles north of Crane Prairie Reservoir.

Fuels specialists will be taking advantage of the cooler fall weather after a hot and dry summer to burn the approximately 960 acres of piles that were chipped in a former timber sale area.

These piles were originally lit a year ago, but were extinguished in a fall storm.

Fuels specialists anticipate ignitions to take one day, although smoke could be visible for several weeks. Piles will be monitored until they are considered dead out.