Prescribed burn of downed juniper planned on Crooked River National Grassland NNW of Prineville

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) -- If conditions remain favorable, firefighters will be igniting a prescribed burn in downed juniper Tuesday on the Crooked River National Grassland north-northwest of Prineville, near Ramms Road and Jefferson County Road 782 and SE Grizzly Road (C Street).

Smoke will be visible from Highway 26 and Ramms Road as firefighters proceed with ignitions on Tuesday for a total of 261 acres. This smoke is not anticipated to impact motorists, officials said.

Firefighters will be burning jackpot units of downed juniper trees as part of a project that removed thousands of junipers to restore range conditions and improve water availability.

The area has been open to personal firewood collection for the last seven years. Burning the remaining piles will improve critical winter range for big game and provide better summer grazing conditions while reducing hazardous fuel loading to lower the risk of large-scale wildfire across the landscape.

Due to the location of these units, the public could see smoke and drivers may experience smoke impacts on nearby highways and Forest roads.

For all prescribed fires, signs will be posted on significant nearby Forest roads and state highways that could be impacted. 

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

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: http://www.centraloregonfire.org and follow us on twitter @CentralORFire.