Prescribed burns planned S. of Bend Thursday, Friday

If conditions remain favorable, firefighters on the Deschutes National Forest are planning prescribed burns south of Bend and east of Sunriver on Thursday and Friday.

On Thursday, firefighters plan ignitions on the Bon units 6-8 totaling 140 acres located between Highway 97 and Abbot Pit. Bon units 13-14 are located between Abbot Pit and the Powerline Road south of Forest Road 9720 and are also scheduled for ignition on Thursday.

On Friday, firefighters are planning to ignite Bon 15 and Lavacast 9 for a total of 69 acres. These units are located in the same area as Bon units 13 and 14.

Burning in this unit is designed to decrease hazardous fuels accumulations within the Wildland Urban Interface near the community of Sunriver and surrounding values at risk to reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire as well as reintroducing fire into a fire-adapted ecosystem.

Due to the location of these units, the public could see smoke and drivers may experience smoke impacts on nearby highways and forest roads. For all prescribed fires, signs will be posted on significant nearby forest roads and state highways that could be impacted. Electronic sign boards will be utilized to help reduce speed and keep traffic flowing. No road closures are anticipated with these projects.

ODOT also advised motorists to be prepared for smoky conditions near the Highway 97-Sunriver interchange beginning before noon.

Additional prescribed burns are anticipated in the area as the Forest Service continues its work of reducing potential fire hazards in the area.

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 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 (including pile burning), and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health.

Keep up with prescribed burns in Central Oregon by visiting this live map: http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/webmaps/deschutes/cofms-rxfire/

For more information, visit the Deschutes website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow on Twitter @CentralORFire.