Prescribed burning planned for Metolius Basin and near Highway 97 and 58 Junction
Central Oregon – The Sisters and Crescent Ranger Districts plan to implement prescribed burning on Tuesday if conditions are favorable.
The Sisters Ranger District plans to conduct 52 acres of prescribed burning in the Metolius Basin near the junction of Forest Service Roads 1419 and 1216 approximately a half mile west of Camp Sherman. The public is asked to avoid Forest Service Road 1216, the Metolius-Windigo Trail in this area, Lake Creek Trail and any additional trails in the area around the prescribed burn. Ignitions on the Met-WUI 17 Prescribed Burn are planned for 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Smoke will be visible in the Metolius Basin, Sisters and surrounding areas. Residents in Camp Sherman and the surrounding area could experience smoke impacts overnight and in the early morning hours. Residents in these areas are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to decrease smoke impacts.
The Crescent Ranger District plans to conduct up to 190 acres of prescribed burning on the 5 Mile Unit 4 Prescribed Burn approximately seven miles south of Crescent and approximately one and a half miles north of the Highway 58 and Highway 97 junction. Ignitions are planned for 9 a.m. on Tuesday and may continue on Wednesday if conditions are favorable. No road or trail closures are anticipated. Smoke will be visible from Highway 97 and Highway 58.
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.
These prescribed burns are occurring within the Central Oregon Landscape, one of 21 focal landscapes identified within the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The implementation of these 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.
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, turn on headlights and set air conditioning on “re-circulate”
- 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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