BLM’s Prineville District plans pile burning in Cline Buttes area west of Tumalo

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Fuels specialists with the Bureau of Land Management Prineville District are getting ready to begin pile burning in the Cline Buttes area, west of Tumalo and north of Highway 20, off Fryrear Road. The project is scheduled to begin next week, depending on weather conditions and fuel moisture.

The piles contain leftover woody debris from a thinning project designed to reduce the risk of wildfires in the wildland urban interface near the to communities in the Cline Buttes and Cloverdale area.

By burning the piles, crews are removing the branches, needles and underbrush that could contribute to higher wildfire intensity during the summer season. Where possible, larger material from thinning projects is first offered for other uses such as firewood, posts and poles or for biomass use.

Once started, the project is expected to take several days to complete. Main roads in the area will be signed to inform residents and the public of the prescribed fires. No road closures or delays are expected with any of the planned burns. BLM Fire/Fuels personnel, along with the Cloverdale Rural Fire Department, will monitor the burn during and after implementation.

Implementation of prescribed fire requires favorable weather windows that include temperature, relative humidity, moisture in the form of rain/snow, and wind conditions for larger activity piles. Prescribed fires will only be implemented when the conditions are right to meet the objectives of the burn and when smoke impacts communities can be minimized.

All prescribed fire areas will be monitored and patrolled during and following ignitions until declared out. Prescribed burns are completed in accordance with the Oregon Department of Forestry Smoke Management Plan.

For more information about prescribed fires and/or the Prineville District’s Fuels Program, please contact the Prineville BLM at (541) 416-6700.