Prescribed burn planned Thursday south of Sisters

Fuels specialists with the Sisters Ranger District on the Deschutes National Forest plan to do a prescribed burn Thursday across 180 acres south of Sisters adjacent to Forest Road 16 (also known as Three Creek Lake Road), in a project area known as “SAFR,” or the Sisters Area Fuels Reduction project.

The goal of the SAFR project is to reduce the amount of forest fuels to minimize the potential for future high-intensity wildfires and increase defensible space, which will improve public safety during wildfires, the agency said

Due to the location of these units, the public could see smoke and drivers may experience smoke impacts on nearby highways and forest roads. Signs will be posted on nearby forest roads and state highways that could be impacted. No major road closures are anticipated with these projects.

The public is encouraged to close their windows at night and if smoke is on the roadway, turn on headlights and slow down while traveling through smoky areas.

The public’s health is important to the Forest Service, the agency announcement said. While significant preventive measures are taken, many factors influence a person’s susceptibility to smoke, including severity and duration of smoke exposure and a person’s health. If individuals feel impacted by smoke, they should avoid outdoor physical exertion and remain indoors. If people experience serious health impacts from the smoke, they should contact their doctor.

For more information about smoke and health, visit the Oregon Health Authority recommendations through this link: http://www.oregon.gov/oha/PH/Preparedness/Prepare/Pages/PrepareForWildfire.aspx#health

Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs smoke from prescribed fires, and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health.

Keep up with prescribed fire in Central Oregon by visiting this live map and following on Twitter @CentralORFire: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/webmaps/deschutes/cofms-rxfire/