Prescribed fire operations update

John Day, Prairie City, Hines, Or-After carefully monitoring conditions across the Forest, fire officials have determined that conditions are within specific parameters, including temperature, relative humidity, and fuel moisture to begin prescribed fire operations in specifically planned units.

Blue Mountain Ranger District – intends to continue ignitions today, October 19^th  and possibly Thursday, October 20th, on the Starr 6 Unit, 300 acres, located in Bear Valley off County Road 63. Smoke is expected through the weekend.

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.   Over the past 20 years, a rising number of large and destructive wildfires have threatened lives, property, and infrastructure. Forest thinning and the safe and effective use of prescribed fire, often in conjunction, are essential tools for reducing wildfire risks and creating resilient fire-adapted landscapes.  

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 at www.fs.usda.gov/malheur or call the Supervisor’s Office at 541-575-3000.

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