More burns planned on Deschutes National Forest
Beginning Thursday and continuing Friday, Deschutes National Forest fuels specialists plan to ignite several prescribed burns, starting in the southern portion near the Two Rivers North subdivision, then moving north to the Sunriver area and Camp Sherman/Metolius Meadows on Friday.
If conditions remain favorable on Thursday, ignitions totaling 258 acres will be divided between two distinct areas near the intersection of Highways 97 and 58 proximate to the Two Rivers North subdivision.
About 33 acres are planned to be burned just east of the Two Rivers North subdivision and 225 acres are planned to be burned about a mile south of the Two Rivers North subdivision.
Because these prescribed fires fall within the boundary of the Walker Range Community Wildfire Protection Plan, a specific project objective is to reduce hazardous fuels within the wildland urban interface.
On Friday, fuels specialists will be burning three units near Sunriver.
The first is a 61-acre section adjacent to and east of Sunriver along County Road 40. The next totals 40 acres and will take place a mile northwest of Sugar Pine Butte along Forest Road 9720.
If weather conditions remain favorable, fuels specialists will attempt the final, 12-acre burn mile southeast of the High Desert Museum. If this burn is not completed on Friday, fuels specialists will come back and complete it on Monday, if conditions allow.
These burns are located within the congressionally designated Deschutes Skyline Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration which receives funding towards accelerated forest restoration and is part of an Oregon State University study evaluating short and long term effects of four silviculture treatments on stand structural development. The objective for these burns is to reduce fuels and restore forest health in areas that were historically maintained by frequent low intensity fire.
Also on Friday, fuels specialists in Sisters will be burning a 186 acre unit approximately 1 miles northwest of Camp Sherman/Metolius between Forest Road 12 and 1420. The objective of this burn is to minimize the risk of high intensity wildfire and reduce hazardous fuels within the wildland urban interface.
No road closures are anticipated with any of the projects although drivers can expect road flaggers on Road 40 into Sunriver during periods of time where dense smoke may limit visibility. Smoke from the operations near the Two Rivers North subdivision could be visible from Highways 58 and 97 as well as County Road 61. Smoke from the operations near Camp Sherman could be visible to the communities of Camp Sherman and visitors to House on the Metolius. If smoke drifts on to local roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care.
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, visit the Deschutes National Forest website a
