BLM plans prescribed burns along Millican Road

Favorable weather conditions are allowing fuels specialists with the Bureau of Land Management’s Prineville District Office to continue with their winter prescribed burning program. “The prescribed burning program is a great example of BLM working to make America great through shared conservation stewardship and by working with our partners to promote multiple-use on public lands,” Tuesday’s announcement said. Specialists will begin prescribed burning Tuesday along both sides of Millican Road, seven miles southwest of Prineville. The area has been open this past year for juniper firewood cutting, and the prescribed burning is an effective way to clean up leftover slash and keep the landscape healthy and productive. Crews plan to burn 475 acres over the course of five to six days. No road closures are expected. Smoke will be visible along Millican Road, and potentially from Highway 26 near the Prineville Airport. Signs will be placed along Millican Road informing motorists of the prescribed burn. In the event that smoke drifts onto Millican Road, motorists should turn on their headlights, reduce speed and proceed slowly through the area. All prescribed burning is highly dependent on favorable temperature, moisture and wind conditions. Prescribed burns are started when the conditions are right to meet the objectives of the burn and while minimizing smoke impacts to any nearby communities. Millican Road and the burn areas will be patrolled during and following ignitions. All prescribed burns are completed in cooperation with the State of Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan. For more information about this project or prescribed burning, contact the Prineville BLM at (541) 416-6700. Additional information about fire in the Pacific Northwest is available online at: https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/ oregon-washington