Incoming favorable weather, including the possibility of snow, is allowing fuels crews with the Prineville BLM to begin burning piles in La Pine, Oregon as part of their 2024-2025 fall/winter prescribed burning program.
Beginning Thursday, October 31, 2024, crews will begin burning 192 acres of machine piles in the Outback project. The piles are located south of La Pine, off of Masten road and Forest Road 62. The piles are concentrations of leftover materials from previous thinning projects designed to remove or reduce hazardous fuels that can burn during wildfires.
No road closures are planned; however, smoke may be present along nearby roads and may settle into nearby neighborhoods overnight. Motorists should reduce speed and turn on headlights when passing through smoky areas. Piles may smolder, burn, and produce smoke for several days to even months after ignition and crews will continue to monitor the area to ensure fire doesn’t spread beyond the planned area. Prescribed burns are completed in accordance with the Oregon Department of Forestry Smoke Management Plan.
