(POSTPONED) 90-acre Prescribed Burn Planned for Crooked River National Grassland
Release Date: Aug 16, 2011
Contact(s): Lisa Clark - 541-280-9560
Madras- Fuels specialists from the Ochoco National Forest are planning to ignite a prescribed burn on the Crooked River National Grassland tomorrow. The burn is the final 90 acres of a larger 1500-acre project started several weeks ago in the Coyote Hills area east of Haystack Reservoir and north of FS Rd 9610. The objective is to improve the health of native plants, restore spring flow and increase forage for wildlife and livestock by using prescribed fire to reduce the number of western juniper on the landscape.
Smoke will be visible from Highways 97 and 26, the communities of Madras and Crooked River Ranch, and from nearby recreation sites such as Haystack Reservoir and Smith Rock State Park.
The area around the burn will be signed to inform motorists of the prescribed fire activities. No road closures are anticipated; however, people recreating in or traveling through the area should use caution as smoke may affect visibility and travel. If motorists encounter smoke as a result of the burning, they should slow down, turn on headlights, and proceed with care. The burn is expected to take one day to complete. Patrols and mop-up activities will occur during and following ignitions.
Fuels specialists will follow policies outlined in the Oregon Department of Forestry smoke management plan, which governs controlled burns, and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health. All of these burns are weather dependent and may be cancelled if conditions are not appropriate to complete the burn successfully. For more information, visit the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/centraloregon/fire.