If conditions are favorable, firefighters will ignite up to 417 acres on Friday near Hole-in-the-Ground
Central Oregon – Firefighters on the Bend-Fort Rock and Sisters Ranger Districts plan to conduct prescribed burn operations on Friday.
Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District firefighters plan to conduct a 417-acre prescribed burn operation near Hole-in-the-Ground. If conditions are favorable, ignitions are slated for 11 a.m. on Friday. The prescribed burn is located approximately one and a half miles from Hole-in-the-Ground east of Highway 31 between mileposts 24 and 27. Smoke will be visible from Highway 31 and the Fort Rock Valley. No road or trail closures are anticipated. Smoke impacts to Highway 31 are possible. Drivers should use caution, slow down and turn on headlights if smoke drifts across the roadway.
The Sisters Ranger District may conduct prescribed burn operations at one of two locations on Friday depending on conditions. The first potential unit is 85 acres located west of the Tollgate Subdivision and north of Forest Service Road 1008. The other potential unit is 100 acres located along Forest Service Road 15 approximately two miles west of Sisters. Firefighters will determine which of the two units may be possible for ignitions based on wind and weather conditions tomorrow morning. These operations will replace the planned ignitions located 3 miles southeast of Sisters.
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.
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.
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