In order to reduce the threat of wildfire while restoring forest function, the Medford District of the Bureau of Land Management plans to begin prescribed burning this month.
With the increased temperatures, fuels are starting to dry out enough to allow spring prescribed burning operations on about 1,500 acres of BLM-administered lands in southwest Oregon.
Al Mason, Fire Management Officer at the Medford BLM District, said one of the main benefits is improved public and firefighter safety during a wildland fire incident. He said local communities and residents will experience reduced fire hazard in areas adjacent to recent prescribed burns.
Residents can expect to see smoke in the Applegate Valley, near Grants Pass and north of Butte Falls. Burning will start one week after warmer weather sets in.
Prescribed burning applies low-intensity fire to the forest floor, which reduces the severity of future wildland fires. Prescribed burns are thoroughly planned and require a strict approval process for smoke management, fire safety and ecological outcomes before professional staff apply fire on the ground.
The Medford BLM District completed 3,700 acres of handpile burning over the winter. Handpile burns occur when debris is manually piled up and then burned.
The material comes from hazardous fuels reduction projects and commercial timber operations that occur on BLM lands.
