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Operations could begin as early as next week if conditions are favorable
Central Oregon, March 11, 2026 —Deschutes National Forest firefighters plan to start spring understory prescribed burning season as early as next week if conditions become favorable. The Deschutes National Forest may accomplish up to an estimated 11,626 acres of prescribed burning, including up to an estimated 7,000 acres on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, 2,126 acres on the Crescent Ranger District, and 2,500 acres on the Sisters Ranger District.
Prescribed burns are slated for the following general areas:
- Bend – one mile west of Bend adjacent to Cascades Lakes Highway, Forest Service Road 41, and Skyliner Road; south of Bend adjacent to Forest Service Road 18; southeast of Bend near Forest Service Road 18 and 25 junction; northern portions of Pine Mountain
- Camp Sherman – along Forest Service Road 14 near the base of Black Butte and north of Camp Sherman near Smiling River and Pine Rest Campgrounds
- Crescent – five miles southeast of Crescent and east of Highway 97 off Forest Service Road 9760 near Boundary Springs Campground; approximately one mile south of the Two Rivers subdivision; east of Highway 97 near the Highway 97 and 58 junction
- La Pine – three miles northeast of La Pine adjacent to McKay Crossing Campground; one mile east of La Pine near Finley Butte; 30 miles southeast of La Pine near Quartz Mountain; south of Highway 31 approximately 12 miles southeast of La Pine
- Sisters – within one to five miles south to northwest of Sisters
- Sunriver – two miles northeast of Sunriver on the east and west side of Highway 97 near Lava Butte; east side of Highway 97 near the South Century Drive interchange; one mile west of Sunriver along Forest Service Roads 40 and 42 in the vicinities of Anne’s Butte and Pistol Butte
Firefighters implement understory prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risk to communities. Prescribed burning reintroduces and maintains fire within our fire-dependent ecosystem by removing concentrations of vegetation and restoring forest health while increasing public and firefighter safety. Once firefighters ignite prescribed burns, they monitor and patrol the units until they declare the burn out.
Prescribed burns, which are primarily conducted in spring and fall, are carefully planned and implemented under specific conditions of temperature, wind, humidity, and vegetation moisture. Firefighters work with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Department of Forestry smoke forecasters to identify conditions that will minimize smoke impacts on people and communities. While prescribed fire managers take significant preventive measures, it’s likely that communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after a prescribed burn. Most smoke impacts occur during the night and early morning hours.
For more information on prescribed burning and smoke preparedness in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org and for information specific to the Deschutes National Forest visit fs.usda.gov/deschutes. Visit centraloregonfire.org/prescribed-fire-smoke-plans/ to view an interactive map with planned burn locations. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive prescribed burn text alerts. Follow along on X @CentralORFire.
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
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