Greater La Pine Area Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

In a more open stand, wildfires would primarily stay on the ground and would be safer to control.

Over the next several years the BLM will continue implementing vegetation treatments in wildland urban interface (WUI) throughout the La Pine Basin. These projects focus on altering key components of wildfire behavior such as surface fuels, ladder fuels and crown (canopy) density. By doing this, we are able to increase fire suppression effectiveness and provide increased protection of life, property and natural resources. These fuels reduction treatments also have the added benefit of helping improve overall forest health and minimizing large-scale occurrences of insect or disease. These objectives are described in The Greater La Pine Community Wildland Urban Interface Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project Environmental Assessment (PDF).

After thinning dense stands of lodgepole and ponderosa pine the majority of the harvested material is then removed by a commercial biomass contractor. The remaining woody debris will be either piled and burned or lopped and scattered depending on the quantity of debris and the distance to private property.

Current Activities

Brush and dense, short pine trees act as a ladder to carry wildfire into the canopy where fires kill more trees and are harder to control than ground fires.

• Dusty Fuels Reduction Treatment: Thinning & Biomass removal currently underway, with handpile and burning to follow in 2012.
• La Pine State Park Fuels Reduction Treatment: Thinning & Handpiling scheduled late 2011/early 2012.
• Wildcat Fuels Reduction Treatment: Thinning & Biomass removal scheduled late 2011/early 2012.
• Riverview Fuels Reduction Treatment: Thinning & Biomass removal has been completed, this project will be completed once the areas of dense brush have been reduced by mowing in the spring of 2012.

Interested parties can monitor this website as it will be updated periodically about planned vegetation management activities within the Greater La Pine Area. Additional questions can be addressed by contacting Sheldon Rhoden at 1-541-416-6780.

Information regarding firewood permits and availability can be found in the Central Oregon Personal Use Firewood Synopsis (PDF) or contact Steve Castillo at 541-416-6765.