Malheur National Forest prepares to implement fall prescribed burning
By Mindy Gould on Monday, September 11th, 2023 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
John Day, Prairie City and Hines(Released by Forest Service)-Fire management officials on the Malheur National Forest are preparing to implement the Forest’s fall prescribed burning. Fall 2023 units that are being monitored for potential burning, of which a portion will be completed as conditions allow, are:
Blue Mountain Ranger District:
- Galena 41 and Galena 40C are planned for approximately 735 total acres. Located 7.5 miles northwest of Austin Junction and 12 miles east of Galena, along forest road 2055.
- Soda Bear 9C and Soda Bear 9G are planned for approximately 405 total acres. Located off forest road 1619 in Bear Valley.
Emigrant Ranger District:
- Wolf H is planned for approximately 713 acres. Located near forest roads 17 and 15, 20 miles northeast of Drewsey.
- UpRatt 5G is planned for approximately 2445 acres. Located off forest road 28, 2815 and 2850 near Perry Meadows
- Marshall Devine D is planned for approximately 2000 acres. Located Idlewild Campground.
Prairie City Ranger District:
- Summit 13 and Summit 12 is planned for approximately 3000 total acres. Located 4 miles southwest of Summit Prairie, along forest road 1651.
- Elk 16 C is planned for approximately 950 acres. Located at the junction of forest service roads 16 and 1675.
Each prescribed burn is designed to accomplish specific objectives related to increasing forest health. Prescribed burns will be conducted only under appropriate conditions to ensure safety. These conditions include temperature, wind, fuel moisture and smoke weather forecast. When all these criteria are met, firefighters implement, monitor, and patrol the burn to ensure it meets forest health and public safety goals including air quality.
As desired conditions are met, detailed information will be released on prescribed burns that will be conducted. Prescribed fire information for the Malheur, Umatilla, and Wallowa-Whitman National Forests is available to the public on a tri-forest online map. The map is labeled and color-coded to show each burn unit’s status: planned, active, or completed. Additionally, forest users can view other features including current and past-year burn units, National Forest boundaries and State wildlife management boundaries.
The Forest Service recognizes the hunting seasons coincide with prescribed burning season and that is can impact hunters, but controlled burns are necessary to reintroduce fire to the landscape and encourage healthy vegetation that will ultimately improve landscapes and forage for big game. Hunters should use caution when entering a recently burned are and be aware of the increased hazards, particularly snags. Dead or dying trees that remain standing after a fire are unstable, especially in high winds.
For further information on the Malheur National Forest, please visit us at
www.fs.usda.gov/malheur or call the Supervisor’s Office at 541-575-3000.
