Mild conditions delay BLM pile burning near Cline Buttes; crews shift to 390 acres of piles along Millican Road
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- With the predicted mild weather, BLM fuels specialists have determined that conditions are not right to burn piles near Cline Buttes, and the burn west of Tumalo has been postponed.
An additional media advisory will be issued when the project is scheduled again.
Crews instead will shift Tuesday to burn piles along Millican Road, southwest of Prineville, where overall pile spacing and conditions on the ground allow them to burn under milder weather conditions.
The piles are spread out over 390 acres and the project is expected to take two days to complete. The piles are leftover branches from a juniper firewood cutting unit. 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.
As with all prescribed burning, personnel make the final call to initiate the burn the day of. With pile burning, specialists are looking at moisture of the piles, condition of vegetation between the piles that could allow the fire to spread, predicted smoke patterns as well as overall weather conditions.
Depending on the site, cooler conditions may allow a burn to proceed, while other sites may need snow on the ground or in the forecast to ensure only the piles burn.
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.
