October 13, 2017 - Fall Prescribed Fires planned in Bly and Winter Rim Area

BLY, Ore. – Fremont-Winema National Forest will begin prescribed burning October 15 on the Bly, Paisley and Silver Lake Ranger Districts.

Prescribed burns are a proactive tool used to achieve a number of purposes, including the reduction of hazardous fuels (overgrown vegetation). They 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.

Area residents and visitors may notice smoke on public lands in various areas during the next few months as part of the continued commitment to protect communities and natural resources from wildfires.

Bly Ranger District: Approximately 500 acres of prescribed burning is planned for the West Spodue Project area, located 12 miles north of Beatty and just west of Spodue Mountain. An additional 300 acres are scheduled to be burned within the Long Project area, which is 15 miles east of the Bly, in the Coleman Rim area. For more information, please contact Bly Ranger District Fire Management Officer Eric Knerr at 541-353-2741 or Bly Ranger District Assistant Fire Management Officer Leland Hunter at 541-353-2745.

Winter Rim Zone: Nearly 800 acres of prescribed burning is planned in the Coyote Creek area, which is 25 miles southwest of Silver Lake and 500 acres of prescribed fire  is planned for the Paisley Ranger District, located west of Forest Service Road 33 near Coffee Pot Flat, 14 miles southwest of Paisley. For more information, please contact Silver Lake RD Assistant Fire Management Officer Joel Johnson 541-219-0310 or Paisley Ranger District Assistant Fire Management Officer Sam Tacchini 541-219-2028.

Prescribed burn updates and maps are available online at:

South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership blog: https://scofmp.blogspot.com/

Lakeview Interagency Fire Center site: www.scofmp.org/rx_fire.shtml

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5165

Social Media: Twitter @scofmpfireinfo or Facebook http://facebook.com/scofmpfireinfo

For more information, contact Fire Information Officer Sarah Saarloos with the South Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership at 541-219-0515 or ssaarloos@fs.fed.us.