Fern Ridge controlled burn may impact Highway 126

PORTLAND, Ore. – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers alerts motorists in the Eugene, Ore., area that a controlled ecological burn planned for southeast of Fern Ridge Reservoir today may cause intermittent delays to traffic on Oregon State Highway 126 between Eugene and Veneta.

The Corps and its partners believe that drying weather and light northerly winds today may produce favorable burn conditions for the 73-acre Fisher Butte Unit north of Highway 126 between Fern Ridge reservoir and Fisher Road.

The best conditions for burning are usually mid-morning to mid-afternoon. Wind conditions should keep smoke off the highway, but flaggers will be deployed to temporarily stop traffic if motorist safety becomes an issue.

The Corps and its partners conduct planned controlled ecological burns on lands in the southern Willamette Valley to protect and restore valuable biological diversity in prairie and savanna ecosystems.  In addition, controlled ecological burns reduce the risks of wildfires to local residences through the removal of standing dead vegetation.

For the latest information about proposed ecological burns, visit the Willamette Valley Prescribed Fire Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WillametteValleyPrescribedFire, or call the Willamette Valley Prescribed Fire information line at 541-683-6970.  A map of proposed burn units is available at http://willamettevalleyprescribedfire.blogspot.com.