Forest Service cancels 113-acre prescribed burn SW of Bend, says smoke would have blown into C.O. communities

(Update: Forest Service says burn likely not rescheduled this spring)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District firefighters have canceled Thursday's planned 113-acre prescribed burn four miles southwest of Bend, saying changing weather conditions likely would have pushed the smoke into Central Oregon communities, rather than up and away from them.

Those "unfavorable conditions" prompted cancellation of the burn, which was planned south of the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station, adjacent to the east side of Forest Service Road 41 and west of the Deschutes River, Deschutes National Forest officials said.

 "Firefighters continue to assess weather conditions prior to and through the implementation of a prescribed burn," the announcement said. "Forecasts can shift and today’s conditions no longer are favorable to best move smoke up and away from communities."

All road and trail closures associated with this prescribed burn have been lifted, officials said.

Deschutes National Forest Public Affairs Specialist Jaimie Olle told NewsChannel 21, "We will likely not be rescheduling this prescribed burn unit this spring."

"We always plan to conduct fall prescribed burning," she said. "However, it’s a much shorter window as we need temperatures to cool down and some moisture to return after summer. There’s a short window for those conditions until we receive too much precipitation."

Firefighters had planned to ignite up to 113 acres on the remaining Big Eddy Prescribed Burn units. The smoke would be visible from Bend and the surrounding area.

Residents in Bend and those south and east of the Deschutes River, including Sunriver, La Pine and Redmond were encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts. Officials had said the smoke impacts are most likely overnight and in the early morning hours.

The northbound lane of Forest Service Road 41 will be closed. A pilot car will be escorting traffic through the area. Drivers can anticipate a short delay. There may be some short-duration closures to both lanes on Forest Service Road 41 if needed, based on smoke impacts.

Smoke and flames will be visible from Cascades Lakes Highway. A pilot car may be utilized if smoke decreases visibility on Cascade Lakes Highway.

If and when the burn does happen, the following closures would be in place during implementation and for up to a week following ignitions, until firefighters assess conditions and determine the area is safe:

Deschutes River Access Points

• Lava Island Day Use River Access – Closed
  • Boaters will not be able to take watercraft out of the Deschutes River at Lava Island Day Use. There will be no access to site.

Roads / Parking

• Forest Service Road 41 – The northbound lane of Forest Service Road 41 will be closed. Pilot cars will be escorting traffic through the area. Drivers can anticipate a short delay. There may be some short duration closures to both lanes on Forest Service Road 41 if needed based on smoke impacts.
• All roads on the east side of Forest Service Road 41 between the junction with the Cascade Lakes Highway south to Big Eddy – Closed
• Forest Service Road 41-800 (Access to Lava Island Day Use) – Closed

Trails

• Catch & Release – Closed between the Cascade Lakes Welcome Station to Storm King junction.
• Deschutes River Trail – Closed from Meadow Day Use Area south to Big Eddy Day Use. The Deschutes River Trail is open south of Big Eddy Day Use.
• Deschutes River Horse Trail – Closed between Meadow Day Use Area south to Big Eddy Day Use.
• Deschutes River MTB Trail – Closed between Meadow Day Use Area south to Big Eddy Day Use.
• One Hour Horse Trail – Closed
• Two Hour Horse Trail – Closed between Meadow Day Use Area south to Big Eddy Day Use.

The planned prescribed burn was within the West Bend Project area and received thinning and mowing to reduce vegetation loading prior to burning. 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 patrol the units until they declare the burn out.

This prescribed burn was to occur within the Central Oregon Landscape, one of 21 focal landscapes identified within the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The implementation of this prescribed burn supports the Deschutes National Forest’s commitment to addressing the Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to reduce severity of wildfires, protect communities, and improve the health and resiliency of fire-dependent forests.

Conditions in Central Oregon are starting to dry out as temperatures increase. Our prescribed burns are staffed with professional firefighters – the same firefighters that spend their summers protecting our communities from wildfires. A qualified burn boss leads prescribed burns. The burn boss closely monitors the weather and fuels conditions and is in frequent communication with our National Weather Service office. Firefighters will not conduct prescribed burns if conditions are no longer safe or favorable to do so.

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. While prescribed fire managers take significant preventive measures, it’s likely that communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after a prescribed burn. 

What does this mean for you?

During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight and in the early morning hours.

• All residents are encouraged to close doors and windows at night to avoid smoke impacts.
• If available, use a portable air cleaner. Air cleaners work best running with doors and windows closed. You can also create a DIY air cleaner.
• If you have a central air system, use it to filter air. Use high-efficiency filters if possible.
• When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down, turn on headlights and turn air to recirculating.
• If you have heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, pay attention to how you feel and if symptoms of heart or lung disease worsen, consider contacting your health care professional.
• Go to centraloregonfire.org to learn more about smoke safety and prescribed burning in Central Oregon and visit When Smoke is in the Air for more smoke preparedness resources.

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 X/Twitter @CentralORFire. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive wildfire and prescribed fire text alerts.