Prairie City Ranger District to conduct RX burning through Memorial Weekend
By Logan Bagett on Wednesday, May 20th, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News Eastern/Southeast Oregon Top Stories
PRAIRIE CITY – (Press Release from the Malheur National Forest)
The Malheur National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations May 22, 2026 through the weekend, on Prairie City Ranger District’s Elk 16Q unit, pending all required approvals.
We estimate this work to continue through the end of the month as weather conditions allow. We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.
Prescribed fire units planned for the Prairie City Ranger District:
- Elk 16Q, is located approximately 1.5 miles east of Crane Prairie along Forest Service Road 1663. (227 acres)
The area may be closed to the public during operations for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.
Public land users may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. Go to https://fire.airnow.gov/ to find more detailed information about air quality. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road.
We will evaluate weather conditions in the days and hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled.
Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website, PNW Prescribed Fire Tracker, social media channels, and InciWeb, the interagency incident information system. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.
