Local News

The Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District plans to conduct an 86-acre prescribed burn starting today and continuing through Saturday in the Ashland watershed.

Ignitions are planned to begin around 10 a.m. and the burn will continue through the weekend. Smoke may be visible from Ashland and nearby areas. Residents in Ashland are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed to minimize smoke impacts, which are most likely to occur overnight and in the early morning hours.

Please avoid using Lithia Loop Road and Hitt Road as well as the Wonder, Fell on Knee and Wasabi trails during the burning period for public and firefighter safety.

Firefighters implement understory prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risk to communities. Prescribed burning reintroduces and maintains fire within the fire-dependent ecosystem by removing concentrations of vegetation and restoring forest health while increasing safety.

Fire management officials work with Oregon Department of Forestry smoke specialists to plan prescribed burns, which are conducted when weather is most likely to move smoke up and away from communities.

While prescribed fire managers take significant preventive measures, it's likely that some communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after the prescribed burn.