The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District plans to conduct approximately 825 acres of brush mowing operations along the west side of Highway 97 between mile markers 145 and 148. Work is slated to begin Monday, December 9, and will continue for the next few months.
Operations are strategically being conducted within the Wildland Urban Interface directly adjacent to the community of Deschutes River Woods and along railroad infrastructure to reduce wildfire risk to these values. Mowing operations reduce the height and density of brush. If left untreated, tall, thick brush can pose a serious risk for wildfires that burn with high intensity and are more challenging for fighters to safely suppress.
No trail or road closures are anticipated. The Forest Service asks the public to be aware of this work and avoid areas where brush mowing operations are occurring.
Mowing is scheduled during fall and winter months to take advantage of cooler weather and increased moisture, as well as, to minimize impacts to ground-nesting birds and other wildlife.
This work is a part of the 25,804-acre Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project which will improve forest resilience against large-scale disturbance events such as high-intensity wildfire, damaging insects, and disease south of Bend. The work is occurring within the Central Oregon Landscape, one of 21 focal landscapes identified within the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy. The implementation of this work supports the Deschutes National Forest’s commitment to addressing the Wildfire Crisis Strategy which aims to reduce severity of wildfires, protect communities, and improve the health and resiliency of fire-dependent forests.
