SISTERS, OR -- Firefighters on the Deschutes National Forest are preparing for pile burning season. Jaimie Olle, Public Affairs Specialist with the Forest Service says as long as the weather cooperates, they'll begin this week, “They’ll start those operations in the higher elevation areas near the Cascade Lakes Highway, and then on the Sisters Ranger District, out in the Green Ridge area along Forest Service Road 1130.”

There should be little public impact, according to Olle, “No road or trail closures are anticipated for this work and smoke impacts are expected to be minimal but again folks in the area could see that smoke lingering in the area for a few days.”

Olle says firefighters will only ignite piles if conditions are right, “We always take precautions to make sure that we’re in the correct prescription. So once piles are ignited those are monitored by firefighters until they are declared out and we typically only light piles when conditions are favorable for this work.”

Debris piles are burned on the forests in order to reduce hazardous fuels and minimize wildfire danger. Piles may smolder, burn, and produce smoke for several days after ignition. 

For more information on hazardous fuels reduction projects in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org/ or fs.usda.gov/deschutes and follow on Twitter @CentralORFire. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive wildfire and prescribed fire text alerts.