PRINEVILLE, OREGON – Forest Service Fuels Specialists from the Ochoco National Forest, with assistance from the Prineville Bureau of Land Management, are continuing with controlled burn projects through the weekend. With wet weather predicted starting as early as Tuesday, fuels specialists are taking full advantage of the current “weather window” and burning while the conditions are favorable.
Mill Creek
The “Rocky,” a 1,500-acre controlled burn, will take several weeks to complete. Fuels specialists have completed approximately 100 acres to date and plan to burn an additional 200 acres over the holiday weekend. The project area is located 14 miles east of Prineville and approximately 3 miles east/northeast of Mill Creek.
Mill Creek residents can expect smoke from the controlled fire to impact nearby Forest Service Roads, particular in the late evening and early morning hours when cool air causes the smoke to settle.
Maury Mountains
The “West Maurys Naturals,” a 1,700-acre controlled burn, is expected to take numerous days to complete. The burn will be completed in multiple blocks, as weather and conditions permit. The project area includes the Newsome, Florida, Sherwood and Friday Creek areas. Fuels specialists have competed 80 acres to date and plan to complete an additional 400 acres in the Sherwood and Newsome Creek areas over the holiday weekend
This weekend, fuels specialists will also work towards completing 50 acres of “Spears,” a 1,700-acre controlled burn near Rocky Butte, and 400 acres of “Zane,” a 1,000-acre controlled burn project located between Big and Little Summit Prairies.
Hunters and other forest visitors are advised to either avoid or use caution if traveling through recently burned areas, as there is potential risk of being hit by fire-weakened timber, rolling debris, or receiving burns from stepping into smoldering stump holes.
The Forest Service adheres to the guidelines of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Smoke Management Plan prior to conducting controlled burns. To view maps that show the fuels treatments planned on public lands in Central Oregon for fall 2009, visit our website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/fires/index.shtml
