SISTERS, OR -- Firefighters on the Sisters Ranger District plan to ignite 51 acres of piles about a mile west of Highway 20, in the Glaze Meadow area, if conditions allow. Those burns could begin Monday and continue through Wednesday. Smoke may be visible from Highway 20 and Black Butte Ranch. No road or trail closures are expected.

Piles may smolder, burn, and produce smoke for several days after ignition. Once ignited, firefighters monitor piles until they are declared out. Please do not report ignitions.

While smoke may linger in the area, removing these large accumulations of woody debris during the winter months minimizes fire danger. The piles are concentrations of leftover materials associated with vegetation management activities being done to help maintain and restore forest and ecosystem health while reducing hazardous fuels loading.

The possibility exists for smoke to settle in low-lying areas due to cool night-time temperatures.

• When driving in smoky areas, drivers should slow down and turn on headlights
• If you have heart or lung disease, asthma, or other chronic conditions, ask your doctor about how to protect yourself from smoke
• Go to centraloregonfire.org to learn more about smoke safety and pile burning in Central Oregon

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