Deschutes National Forest, partners conduct over 250 acres of prescribed burns near La Pine, Crescent and Sisters
Barney Lerten
(Update: Four prescribed burns conducted Thursday)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes National Forest was conducting more than 250 acres of prescribed burn operations Thursday on the Bend-Fort Rock, Crescent and Sisters ranger districts, as well as a cross-boundary burn with partners on the Metolius Basin.
Officials said Thursday afternoon that test fire ignitions were favorable and the burns were underway.
Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District firefighters plan to conduct up to 111 acres of ignitions on the Odin North Block 7 Prescribed Burn, located approximately four miles northeast of La Pine, east of Newberry Estates and south of Paulina Lake Road.
Ignitions will be continuing on Friday, if conditions remain favorable. No road or trail closures are anticipated.
Smoke will be visible from La Pine, Sunriver, Highway 97, and the surrounding area. Residents in La Pine and Newberry Estates are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts. Smoke impacts are most likely overnight and in the early morning hours. Smoke impacts are also possible across Highway 97 during ignitions and overnight and in the early morning hours.
Firefighters on the Cresent Ranger District plan to conduct up to 96 acres of ignitions on the DMR 11 Prescribed Burn located approximately five miles southeast of Crescent, east of Highway 97 and south of Boundary Springs Campground.
Smoke will be visible from Highway 97 and 58, Crescent and the surrounding area. Residents in Crescent are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts. Smoke impacts are most likely overnight and in the early morning hours.
Also on Thursday, the Sisters Ranger District plans 30 acres of prescribed burning on the SAFR Unit 34 Prescribed Burn three miles south of Sisters and east of Forest Service Road 16 near the PRT – Whychus Horse Ford Tie Trail.
While no road or trail closures are anticipated, the public is asked to avoid recreating in the vicinity of the prescribed burn. Residents in Sisters and the surrounding area are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts. Smoke impacts are most likely overnight and in the early morning hours.
Meanwhile, the Deschutes Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the Deschutes National Forest plan a cross-boundary prescribed burn Thursday on 50 acres of the Deschutes Land Trust’s Metolius Preserve and five acres of Forest Service land. Firefighters attempted to conduct this prescribed burn last week; however, upon conducting a test ignition, firefighters determined that conditions were not favorable to proceed with operations.
Smoke will be visible from the Metolius Basin and surrounding areas. Residents in the Metolius Basin are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts. Smoke impacts are most likely overnight and in the early morning hours.
The Metolius Preserve will remain open during the burn period. The public is encouraged to avoid the Lake Creek Trail and other trails in the northern section of the Preserve due to operations and smoke impacts.
This cross-boundary prescribed burn is being conducted through a formal agreement between the Deschutes Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and the Forest Service. Implementation of the prescribed burn will include support from federal, state, and municipal firefighting resources.
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. While prescribed fire managers take significant preventive measures, it’s likely that communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after a prescribed burn.
Firefighters implement understory prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risk to communities. Prescribed burning reintroduces and maintains fire within our fire-dependent ecosystem by removing concentrations of vegetation and restoring forest health while increasing public and firefighter safety.
What does this mean for you?
During prescribed burns, smoke may settle in low-lying areas overnight and in the early morning hours.
All residents are encouraged to close doors and windows at night to avoid smoke impacts.
If available, use a portable air cleaner. Air cleaners work best running with doors and windows closed. You can also create a DIY air cleaner.
If you have a central air system, use it to filter air. Use high-efficiency filters if possible.
When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down, turn on headlights and turn air to recirculating.
If you have heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, pay attention to how you feel and if symptoms of heart or lung disease worsen, consider contacting your health care professional.
Go to centraloregonfire.org to learn more about smoke safety and prescribed burning in Central Oregon and visit When Smoke is in the Air for more smoke preparedness resources.
For more information on prescribed burning in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org/ and for information specific to the Deschutes National Forest visit fs.usda.gov/r06/deschutes. Follow us on X/Twitter @CentralORFire. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive wildfire and prescribed fire text alerts.