PRINEVILLE, Ore. -- The Ochoco National Forest is continuing its long-term efforts to reduce hazardous fuels and improve forest health through a planned prescribed burn in the HEJ unit 10 on Monday, pending favorable weather and fuel conditions.

Prescribed burning is a critical tool used to moderate wildfire behavior, restore fire-adapted ecosystems, improve wildlife habitat by encouraging new understory growth, and strengthen protection for neighboring private lands.

These treatments are part of a multi-year, strategic approach that often builds on earlier thinning, logging, or other fuels reduction work. In the HEJ area, the upcoming burn represents the next step in a multi-phase fuels management strategy.

Recent fire activity on the forest has again demonstrated the value of this proactive work.

During this summer’s Rowe Creek Fire, firefighters observed a clear difference in fire behavior when the wildfire reached areas that had been treated with prescribed fire.

In those previously treated units, fire behavior moderated significantly, slowing down and burning at a lower intensity. Adjacent untreated stands burned with much higher severity, highlighting the strong influence that past prescribed fire treatments can have on wildfire outcomes.

Before any prescribed burn is implemented, fire managers evaluate a wide range of conditions, including weather patterns, wind, humidity, fuel moisture, terrain, smoke dispersion potential, and crew safety. If conditions are not within the strict parameters of the burn plan, the operation will be postponed.

Managers recognize that prescribed fire can temporarily impact air quality for recreationalists, hunters, and nearby communities. These factors are carefully considered during planning. While short-lived smoke may occur, these impacts are typically far less significant than the prolonged smoke events that can result from uncontrolled wildfires.

The Ochoco National Forest remains committed to using science-based strategies to reduce wildfire risks, improve habitat, and promote healthier, more resilient forests.

A map of the prescribed burn area is available on the Ochoco National Forest website: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r06/ochoco/newsroom/releases/ochoco-national-forest-begin-prescribed-fire