Fire officials continue to monitor conditions for prescribed fire operations daily

HARNEY/GRANT COUNTIES – (Release from the Malheur National Forest) Emigrant Creek Ranger District has completed 4,300 acres in the Wolf F unit located in the Magpie Table area and approximately 1,100 acres in the Silvies 7 unit located south of the Silvies River and west of National Forest Road 31. Crews may begin burning in Silvies 7 tomorrow through Thursday, up to 1700 acres, but more likely less than 1000 acres. 

Prairie City Ranger District completed 200 acres in the Elk 16 IB area and will continue ignitions today and possibly tomorrow for the remaining acres, approximately 140 to complete Elk 16 IB fully. They will be monitoring conditions to start ignitions in Elk 16 FB or Dads 2B later this week. 

Blue Mountain Ranger District; under a contract with the Malheur NF, crews from Grayback Forestry completed approximately 1,000 acres of the 3,000 acre unit creating blackline around Murderers Creek 11 and will continue working through the week. 

Fuels have lost moisture over the long, hot summer. Burning under dry fuels conditions allows the fuels to potentially consume more completely and produce less smoke. 

For the safety of firefighters and the public, roads and areas of prescribed fire activity will be signed. Please avoid these areas so as not to interfere with ongoing operations. For safety, roads, trails and areas may need to close temporarily as firefighter operations are taking place. Smoky conditions may also reduce visibility to a level that would require additional temporary closures. During prescribed fire operations, there is potential for impacts to camping and hunting. Hunters are advised to plan ahead; for their safety, they should not camp in or near an area of prescribed fire activity. 

All prescribed burn activity is weather and condition dependent. 

With the potential for smoke to settle in certain areas during active operations, the public can monitor the smoke and air quality in our area and across the state by visiting http://oregonsmoke.blogspot.com/. 

Additional information regarding prescribed burning on the Malheur National Forest is available on InciWeb at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7426, or by viewing the Prescribed Fire Activity interactive map at USFS R6 Tri-Forest Prescribed Fire Map. 

For further information on the Malheur National Forest, please visit us atwww.fs.usda.gov/malheur or call the Supervisor’s Office at 541-575-3000

---