Forest Service plans 200-acre prescribed burn Friday west of La Pine

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Fuel specialists with the Deschutes National Forest plan to conduct a prescribed burn this Friday on about 200 acres of national forest lands seven miles west of La Pine, along both sides of Burgess Road (County Road 43).

Ignitions will begin at about 10 a.m., with operations ending at 6 p.m. Once the burn is completed, the area will be patrolled, officials said Wednesday. 

During the operations, smoke will be visible to residents of La Pine and the surrounding area, including the subdivisions of Wild River and Ponderosa Estates. Residents can expect nighttime and early morning smoke impacts following the burn.

If needed, due to smoke on the roadway, flaggers will be used on Burgess Road. Smoke and residual burning will be visible in the area for up to a week post ignition.

The objective of this prescribed burn is to reduce fuel loadings in ponderosa pine stands to allow future fires to burn with less intensity. This will reduce the potential impacts of a wildfire coming into the La  Pine community, officials said.

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