Bend-Fort Rock, Crescent ranger districts to continue prescribed burns Thursday SW of Sunriver, Crescent

SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) – Firefighters on the Bend-Fort Rock and the Crescent ranger districts plan to continue prescribed burn operations on Thursday.

If conditions are favorable, Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District firefighters plan to ignite 191 acres three miles southwest of Sunriver, immediately west of the Three Rivers neighborhoods and south of Ann’s Butte.

Firefighters on the Crescent Ranger District plan to continue prescribed burning up to 31 acres located six miles southwest of Crescent, 1 1/2 miles west of Highway 97 and a half-mile from Highway 58 near mile post 88. The prescribed burn units are located 2 1/2 miles southwest of Cascade Estates subdivision and 2 1/2 miles northeast of the Two Rivers subdivision.

Prescribed burning reintroduces and maintains fire within a fire-dependent ecosystem helping to stabilize and improve the resiliency of forest conditions while increasing public and firefighter safety. Once firefighters ignite prescribed burns, they monitor and patrol the units until they declare the burn out.

Smoke will be visible from Sunriver, La Pine and the surrounding areas. Prescribed burns can protect homes from tragic wildfires. Fire management officials work with Oregon Department of Forestry smoke specialists to plan prescribed burns. Prescribed burns are conducted when weather is most likely to move smoke up and away from our communities. Sometimes, weather patterns change, and some smoke will be present during prescribed burns.

What does this mean for you?

During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight.

• All residents are encouraged to close windows at night to avoid smoke impacts
• When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down and turn on headlights
• If you have heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, ask your doctor about how to protect yourself from smoke
• Go to centraloregonfire.org to learn more about smoke safety and prescribed burning in Central Oregon

For more information on prescribed burning in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org/ and for information specific to the Deschutes National Forest visit www.fs.usda.gov/deschutes. Follow us on Twitter @CentralORFire. Text “COFIRE to 888-777 to receive wildfire and prescribed fire text alerts.