Lakeview, Ore. – Fire managers for the Fremont-Winema National Forest, Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Lakeview District and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (USFWS) Sheldon-Hart Mountain National Wildlife Complex will start spring prescribed burning. This is an ongoing effort to reduce the potential of catastrophic wildfires and improve ecosystem health.
Prescribed burns are a proactive tool used to achieve a number of purposes, including the reduction of hazardous fuels (overgrown vegetation). Prescribed burns can help decrease the threat of high intensity, high-severity wildfires; reduce the risk of insect and disease outbreak; recycle nutrients that increase soil productivity; and improve wildlife habitat.
“With the low snow pack and marginal moisture in south central Oregon, we’re at least a month ahead of when we typically conduct prescribed burning activities,” said Barry Shullanberger, Interagency Fuels Specialist for the Fremont-Winema National Forest and BLM Lakeview District. “We want to accomplish our prescribed fire goals while paying close attention to how the vegetation responds to fire.”
The actual days of ignition for these burn projects will depend on several factors including appropriate humidity levels, wind speed and direction, temperature, and fuel moisture. Burns only occur on days when the ODF Smoke Management Office indicates suitable weather conditions exist for smoke dispersal.
The Forest Service asks the public to not call 911 about burning in the areas referred below. For prescribed fire information, please call the Lakeview Interagency Fire Center (LIFC) at 541-947-6315 or visit its Web site at:
If you see local news happen, call the Horizon Broadcasting Group News Tip Hotline at 541-323-NEWS, or email us.
