PRINEVILLE, Ore. – Fire managers on the Ochoco
National Forest plan to take advantage of forecasted snow over the weekend to
ignite hand piles next week along Forest Service Road 22 leading to Walton
Lake.
The hand pile unit is roughly 100 acres, located
about 25 miles east of Prineville along a five-mile stretch of road beginning
at Ochoco Ranger Station.
Light smoke will be visible during ignition
periods but will be short in duration. Prescribed fire signs will be placed
along the road. Burning will continue as long as weather and fuel conditions
allow.
The piles are left over from a mechanical
thinning project to reduce hazardous fuels and fire danger along the popular
route. Piles created from this type of treatment are allowed to dry for one to
two years to reduce smoke emissions and increase consumption of piled material.
Fuels specialists follow policies outlined in the
Oregon Smoke Management Plan, which governs prescribed fires (including pile
burning) and attempts to minimize impacts to visibility and public health.
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