Pile burning planned next week in Sisters area

Taking advantage of the cooler weather, fuels specialists plan to burn nearly 200 acres of slash piles next week within about a mile of Camp Sherman and within the Glaze Forest Restoration area, officials said Friday

Beginning as early as Monday and continuing through the week, fuels specialists are planning to burn three units of piles totaling 44 acres within the Glaze Forest Restoration project area south of Highway 20 and west of Cold Springs Cutoff/Forest Road 1012.

An additional five units totaling 153 acres are slated for burning in the Metolius area within about one mile of Camp Sherman.

Piles may smolder, burn, and produce smoke for several days after ignition. While smoke may linger in the area, there is a real benefit to burning this type of vegetation, officials said The piles are concentrations of leftover materials associated with previous vegetation management activities intended to remove hazardous fuels that can burn during summer wildfires.

No closures are anticipated with these operations. However, if smoke drifts on to roads, motorists should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care. Once ignited, units are monitored by firefighters until they are declared out.

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

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