Prescribed burn set to begin Wednesday south of Sisters
SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Starting Wednesday and continuing on Friday, fuel specialists with the Deschutes National Forest will be prescribed burning national forest lands about 7 miles south of Sisters, near Black Pine Spring Campground.
Fuels specialists will underburn approximately 290 acres between Forest Service Road 16 (Three Creeks Road) and FSR 1620. Ignitions will begin at about 9:30 a.m. each day.
Due to expected smoke impacts to FSR 16 (Three Creeks Road), people should expect some traffic delays on that roadway during ignitions. Road guards and traffic control measures will be in place.
During the operations, smoke will be visible to residents of Sisters and the surrounding area. The closest residents to the burn will be in the Harrington Road area. Residents can expect nighttime and early morning smoke impacts following the burn.
Firefighters from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Department, Black Butte Ranch Fire Department and the Oregon Department of Forestry may assist federal firefighters during the prescribed burn.
The objective of this prescribed burn is to reduce fuel loadings in ponderosa pine stands to allow future fires to burn with less intensity. This will reduce the potential impacts of a wildfire coming into the community of Sisters.
The public is encouraged to close their windows at night and 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
