Forest Service may begin burning this week

Prescribed underburning may begin this week just west of Sage Meadow (an area of 99 acres) and in an area that is adjacent to Hwy. 20 and southeast of Tollgate (115 acres).

Sisters Ranger District is getting ready to begin its spring burn program. The program consists of conducting numerous controlled underburns aimed at reducing hazardous fuels (mostly brush and woody debris) that can contribute to high intensity wildland fires during the summer caused by either lightning or human activity.

The controlled underburns, conducted by the U.S. Forest Service with assistance from the Oregon Department of Forestry, are part of a series of strategic treatments intended to minimize the potential of wildland fires spreading from national forest lands to residential areas. The various treatments have included burning, chainsaw thinning, mechanical mowing and hand piling of woody debris.

In the spring when weather conditions tend to be more favorable, the Forest Service focuses on underburning.

There is approximately 1,000 acres of underburning planned, and these areas are located around the urban interface, a focus on improving defensible space in those areas. Some of the areas where underburning may occur are adjacent to Crossroads subdivision, Black Butte Ranch, west of Sage Meadow and southeast of Tollgate.

Smoke from burning might impact surrounding communities and Highways 20 and 242.

Fire specialists decide when to burn based on narrow weather parameters, such as when winds will disperse smoke out and away from populated areas but not so windy as to make burning conditions unsafe. Despite fire specialists' best efforts, smoke often settles in with cooler air in low areas in the evening hours and may not disperse as readily as predicted.

In case conditions become smoky in nearby communities, the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality recommends the following precautions:

• Close doors and window on structures.

• Stay indoors, if possible.

• Avoid strenuous outdoor activities.

• Avoid areas near your home with the highest smoke concentrations.

• Follow breathing management plans if you have asthma or other respiratory problems, and contact your health care provider if your condition worsens.

Fire specialists will give nearby residents advanced notice of burning operations if it is requested. Contact Shane Robson, Sisters Ranger District Fuels Technician, at 549-7680 for further information or to be placed on a notification list.