BEND, OR -- The Deschutes National Forest wanted to ramp up the number of acres involved in prescribed burns this season, but is now only slightly above the 10-year average. 

Jaimie Olle, with the Forest Service, says historically, the area’s fire return interval rate is five to 15 years, "If ideally we were matching that in the current day, under current conditions, we would see about 20,000 acres of prescribed burning each year. We know that’s not quite attainable, just given the limitations we have around weather conditions, resources." She tells KBND News 11,000 acres were prepared for burning earlier in the year, "We’ve completed thinning, mowing and mastication to reduce existing trees and brush, to decrease the amount of fuels that are on the landscape. And that final piece is to come in and apply low-intensity fire through prescribed burning."

Olle says, "Right now, we’re sitting at about 4,800 acres of treated landscape during the spring prescribed burn season on the Deschutes National Forest. Within that, a little over 1,400 acres have been burned directly west of Bend."  That’s part of the West Bend Pilot Project, "Which is a national effort to look at increasing the pace and scale of prescribed burning in those areas that are directly adjacent to our communities. Which means there may be some increased smoke impacts to those populations." In the pilot project, land managers work closely with air quality agencies to mimimize smoke and public health impacts in those communities - in this case, Bend. "The West Bend Pilot Project has allowed us to work with partners like Deschutes County Public Health, Oregon DEQ, Oregon Health Authority and several others to increase public outreach and preparedness around smoke," says Olle. 

There isn’t much time left to reach the 11,000-acre goal; the season usually ends in mid-June and no burns are scheduled for this week because of the weather. "As we’re kind of in that early June timeframe, we will continue to assess conditions and conduct prescribed burning when and where those conditions are favorable." But Olle admits, next week is likely their last chance before summer. "While we haven’t reached that number yet, what we have been able to do is treat some really critical acres in and around communities, including Bend, La Pine, Sunriver and Sisters."

More prescribed burns are expected during a few weeks in the fall. Olle expects they'll hit 7,500 to 10,000 acres by the end of the year. 

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Photo: Firefighters conduct a prescribed burn in the Big Eddy area west of Bend on May 29, 2024; courtesy of the US Forest Service.