Crescent Ranger District plans 38-acre prescribed burn SE of Crescent
CRESCENT, Ore. (KTVZ) — Fire managers on the Crescent Ranger District hope to take advantage of favorable conditions Wednesday to ignite 38 acres in the Gilchrist State Forest about six miles southeast of Crescent and east of Highway 97.
The prescribed burn is being conducted on Walker Range Fire Patrol-protected lands through the North Walker Cross Boundary Prescribed Fire Agreement.
The North Walker Cross Boundary Prescribed Fire Agreement, totaling 686 acres of Gilchrist State Forest and Deschutes Land Trust lands and 632 acres of adjacent Forest Service land, is designed to implement fuels reduction work across Federal and State boundaries within the wildland urban interface.
Ignitions are expected to begin around 11 a.m. and last only one day. No road or trail closures are anticipated. Signs will be placed on Forest Service roads and Highway 97 as needed.
Fire managers are implementing the understory burn to reduce hazardous fuels accumulation decreasing the risk of high-intensity wildfire in the area. The prescribed burn reintroduces and maintains fire within the fire-adapted ecosystem helping to stabilize and improve the resiliency of forest conditions while increasing public and firefighter safety.
Residents and businesses in these areas are advised to keep their windows and doors closed during the night hours to avoid potential impacts. If smoke drifts onto local roads, motorists are asked to slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with caution.
Fire specialists utilize smoke forecasts from the Oregon Department of Forestry Smoke Management office and follow policies outlined by the Oregon Department of Forestry, which governs air quality, 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 on hazardous fuels reduction projects in Central Oregon, visit the interactive website at http://www.centraloregonfire.org/ or visit www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow us on Twitter @CentralORFire. For further questions contact the Crescent Ranger District at (541) 433-3200.
