Firefighters will burn brush piles this week

Sisters Ranger District firefighters plan to conduct pile burning operations one mile southwest of Sisters along Forest Service Roads 15 and 1505.

Firefighters may continue burning throughout the week as conditions are favorable. Smoke may be visible from Sisters and the surrounding area. Residents are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to help decrease smoke impacts.

Firefighters select pile burning units for ignition based on moisture levels, forecasted weather and conditions predicted to move smoke away from communities where possible. Piles may smolder, burn, and produce smoke for several days after ignition. Once ignited, firefighters monitor piles until they declare the piles out. Please do not report ignitions.

Piles are concentrations of woody debris, like limbs and branches, remaining after forest restoration activities such as thinning and mastication. The leftover material can’t be made into usable forest products. Burning these piles of debris in the winter reduces fuels loading in these areas.