More prescribed burns due on Deschutes National Forest

If conditions remain favorable, firefighters will continue with prescribed burning on the Deschutes National Forest over the next few days. Burns are planned on the Sisters and Bend-Fort Rock ranger districts.

On Friday, the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District is planning burn operations about 5 miles north of Cabin Lake and 20 miles east of La Pine. This 300-acre unit (MX3B) was previously prescribe burned in 2006 and will help maintain reduced hazardous fuels while also improving deer winter range habitat. The public may see smoke in the Fort Rock area and along Forest Service Road 18.

The Sisters Ranger District is planning a prescribed burn Sunday on two units (Met WUI 18 & 42) totaling 171 acres in the vicinity of Camp Sherman at the junction of Forest Service Roads 1216 and 1419. Traffic flaggers will be in place on Forest Service Road 1419. Smoke from these burns may be visible to those in Camp Sherman.

This prescribed burn will help restore ponderosa pine ecosystems by reintroducing low-intensity fire, increase the safety of nearby communities by reducing hazardous fuels, and improve wildlife habitat, officials said.

For all prescribed fires, signs will be posted on significant nearby Forest roads and state highways that could be impacted. No road closures are anticipated with these projects. 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 a live map on http://www.centraloregonfire.org/

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