Fall Prescribed Fire Season starting in South Central Oregon

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Lakeview, Ore. – Planned fall prescribed fire operations will start as soon as conditions allow for smoke management and desired prescription outcomes. Fire managers on the Fremont-Winema National Forest, Lakeview District Bureau of land Management (BLM) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex are looking for opportunities to apply prescribed fire to the landscape.

Prescribed fire is a proactive approach to fire and land management, reintroducing fire in a manner that reduces hazardous fuels, improves range and forest health, and benefits the fire-adapted ecosystem.  Prescribed fire can be strategically located across the landscape, is carefully managed to meet resource and smoke management objectives, and incorporates consideration for sensitive resources.  Unplanned wildfires generally do not afford such benefits, burn with high intensity, and often requires costly suppression efforts.

Cooler temperatures, adequate humidity, and favorable winds for smoke management, will allow firefighters to start applying fire to planned units. Burning operations will be monitored and patrolled frequently by fire professionals to ensure public safety.

Prescribed fire will occur on days when the Oregon Department of Forestry Smoke Management Office indicates there are suitable weather conditions for smoke dispersal. Following that approval, if overall fuel and weather conditions are favorable, firefighters ignite a test fire before moving forward. If the test fire indicates conditions are not suitable, the prescribed fire will be postponed until conditions improve.

Residents and visitors are asked to be aware of their surroundings and watch for prescribed fire operations to maintain personal and firefighter safety. Areas where prescribed fire operations are taking place will be well signed and may have increased fire personnel, traffic and smoke in the area.

Smoke may be visible on public lands in various areas for the next few months as prescribed operations continue. Each prescribed fire can appear different visually depending on the forest type, fuel load, prescribed fire objectives and how long fire has been absent from the area.

Hunters and other recreation users should check current conditions in the area, especially during September and October with the possibility of prescribed fire operations.

Prescribed Fire Notices will be posted prior to ignition once timeframes have been established. SCOFMP employees are committed to safe and successful prescribed fire operations within these designated areas.

Below is a list of planned prescribed fire projects for South Central Oregon this fall. Areas planned for treatment during the fall 2019 Prescribed Fire Season include:

FREMONT-WINEMA NATIONAL FOREST
Klamath Ranger District, 541-885-3410
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Klamath Falls, OR:
Raccoon 210
 51
 23 miles NW of Klamath Falls along Hwy 140 near the Odessa area.
Tomahawk 215 A & B
 83
 29 miles NW of Klamath Falls along Hwy 140 south of the Mountain Lakes Estates Subdivision.
Cold Unit 37
 111
 30 miles NW of Klamath Falls along Hwy 140 at the Cold Springs Trailhead turnoff FS road 3651.
Panhandle 2 & 6
 131
 35 miles NW of Klamath Falls off of Hwy 62 directly south of Crater Lake NP boundary.
Eaglet 25
 90
 25 miles NW of Klamath Falls along Westside Road
Westside Piles
 180
 27 miles NW of Klamath Falls along Westside Road
Misc. Piles 20
 Various locations throughout Klamath Ranger District: Annie Creek Sno-Park, Sevenmile Guard Station, within Rocky Point along Westside road, Lake of the Woods east side cabins.
Lakeview Ranger District, 541-947-3334
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Lakeview, OR:
Crooked Mud Honey 1,000 12 miles NE of Lakeview
West Drews 1,570 6 miles west of Drews Reservoir
Winter Rim Zone, 541-943-3114
Name: Size (Acres): Location:
Coyote 1,000 25 miles southwest of Silver Lake, west of Sycan Marsh
Duce 500 14 miles southwest of Paisley near Coffee Pot Flat.
Bly Ranger District, 541-353-2427
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Bly, OR:
West Spodue 2,240 15 miles North of Beatty, visible from Hwy 140
Box Spring 200 15 miles east, near Deming Creek
Juniper 1,650 20 miles south near Strawberry Res.
Long 912 10 miles East near Lantern Flat
Bly Ridge 1,482 3 miles West, on Bly Ridge
Chemult Ranger District, 541-365-7001
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Chemult, OR:
Boundary 13,000 11 miles SW of Chemult off of Hwy 139, milepost 92-95
Chiloquin Ranger District, 541-783-4001
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Chiloquin, OR:
North II, Unit 12, 13, 14, 15, & 20 2,617 5 miles east Chiloquin, 1-2 mile marker Williamson
River Rd. Visible from Hwy 97 & the Sprague River Road.
BLM - LAKEVIEW DISTRICT
Lakeview Resource Area, 541-947-2177
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Lakeview, OR:
South Warner 150/pile 20 miles east of Lakeview
Dicks Creek 30/pile 13 miles north of Lakeview on Highway 395
Clover Flat 1500/pile 2 miles west of Valley Falls
Klamath Falls Resource Area, 541-883-6913
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Klamath Falls, OR:
Bryant Mountain 500/pile 25 miles southeast of Klamath Falls
US FISH AND WILDLIFE
Sheldon/Hart National Wildlife Refuges, 541-947-3315
Name: Size (Acres): Location from Klamath Falls, OR:
McKee Meadow 150 / broadcast 6 miles northeast of Plush on Hart Mtn. Rd
Little Sheldon 1,000/pile 30 miles southeast of Adel

Press release provided from the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership.