Forest Service set to torch burn piles

In the wake of recent moisture, the Sisters Ranger District is getting ready to begin fall pile burning.

According to the Forest Service, pile burning is part of a series of strategic treatments intended to restore fire's natural role in the forest while at the same time minimizing the potential of wildland fires spreading from National Forest lands to residential areas.

Pile burning consumes fuels piled up from projects such as chainsaw and machine thinning. At the same time, "slash" piles associated with numerous logging activities will also be ignited under brush disposal requirements.

Pile burning differs from prescribed underburning; ignitions are focused only on the actual pile and not the surrounding forest floor. Cool and moist weather conditions are desired in order to limit pile "creep" and smoke production.

There are approximately 700 acres of handpile burning planned for this fall. In addition, numerous "landing" piles associated with 800 acres of logging activities are slated for ignitions. The pile burning will occur in and around the following areas:

The general handpile burn locations are:

McCache Small Tree Thinning project near Highway 242 and Forest Service (FS) Road 1028; Highway 20 and FS 1012; corner of Highway 20 and George McAllister Road; areas off FS 1120; miscellaneous debris piles off FS 1216 west of Camp Sherman.

The general locations of logging related pile burning are:

GW Fire Salvage (FS 1028); Black Crater Salvage (vicinity of Whispering Pine Campground); Highway 242 Salvage (Mckenzie Pass and Lava Camp Lake); Little Salvage (Roaring Springs area off FS 1230); miscellaneous debris piles in Scout Lake area.

The public should expect to see active pile burning in the above mentioned areas though early January. All pile units are checked on a daily basis and burning activities will be delayed if weather conditions are not acceptable, the Forest Service reports.

Smoke impacts associated with pile burning are expected to be low to surrounding communities and roadways, however some drift smoke can be expected late evenings and early mornings.

Fire specialists will give nearby residents advanced notice of pile burning operations if requested. Contact Trevor Miller, Sisters Ranger District fuels technician, at 549-7638 for more information or to be placed on a notification list.