The Ashland Forest Resiliency Stewardship Project

05/01/2026

There will be a controlled burn tomorrow, Saturday May 2nd, in the Ashland Watershed approximately 1 mile SW of Lithia Park. Smoke will be visible and could impact areas below the burn, especially in the evening hours. Please be Smokewise! More information is on the City of Ashland Oregon website:
https://ashlandoregon.gov/m/NewsFlash/home/detail/489

04/14/2026

Today, Tuesday, April 14, there will be two controlled burns to reduce wildfire hazards along upper Granite Street and in Hald-Strawberry Park. Weather conditions have created an opportunity to burn piles of fuel in the lower Ashland Watershed near the Hearts Nature Trail, Granite irrigation canal,....

04/02/2026

Several controlled burns will be managed in Ashland! Please see the details below.

03/31/2026

Lomakatsi Restoration Project is managing a controlled burn south of Ashland today. Thank you for the help!

Lomakatsi Restoration Project is managing a controlled burn near the I-5 interstate south of Ashland. Smoke will be visible from the freeway and could drift into areas around Windemar Drive.

When you see Lomakatsi fire crew members working to reduce fire risk in the forest and around town, please give them a thumbs up from us!

City of Ashland Oregon

03/19/2026

Please take precautions this evening for smoke and see recommendation at SmokewiseAshland.org

A controlled burn managed earlier today is causing some smoke in parts of town.

Understand the air quality index and get resources.

03/19/2026

More on the prescribed burn to maintain work done under AFR and create a healthy and resilient forest! Thank you to all the crews who are working hard on the hill today!

PRESCRIBED FIRE UPDATE - 03.18.2026

🔥Siskiyou Mountains Ranger District is conducting a 20-acre under-burn in the Panther Peak area of the Ashland Watershed today. You may be able to see and smell smoke in the area.

Under-burning is a type of prescribed fire treatment that ignites vegetation under the forest canopy and focuses on the consumption of surface fuels.

Some of the benefits of prescribed fire as a forest management tool include

👍🏼 Protecting communities and infrastructure by reducing hazardous fuels and the risk of future high-intensity wildfires.
👍🏼 Mitigating future wildfire risk and promote resilient fire-adapted landscapes.
👍🏼 Reducing build-up of flammable vegetation, dead and down trees, and overgrowth.
👍🏼 Improving and supporting wildlife habitat for many species on the Forest.
👍🏼 Limiting the spread of invasive plant species and minimizing the spread of pest insects and disease, maintaining native ecosystems.
👍🏼 Recycling nutrients back into the soil.
👍🏼 Promoting the growth of trees, plants, wildflowers, and other flora and fauna.
👍🏼 Continuing the historic, natural fire regime of periodic disturbance by fire in forested ecosystems.

Prescribed fires are planned for various units across the Forest; however, the window of opportunity for prescribed fire implementation is affected by several factors. Safety factors, weather conditions, air quality, personnel availability, and environmental regulations are continually monitored before implementation to determine feasibility of moving forward with the prescribed fire operations, during implementation, and after completion of the unit(s).

All prescribed fires are implemented in compliance with Oregon State air quality standards and coordinated with appropriate county health departments to reduce the impacts of smoke to neighbors, cooperators, and surrounding communities.

Smoke may settle in valley bottoms and drainages overnight, but it is expected to dissipate within a few days. Visit AirNow.gov for current air quality conditions.

For prescribed fire updates on the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest, visit: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/orrsf-rogue-riversiskiyou-national-forest-prescribed-fire-operations

📸 Crews "fire off" the under-burn with drip torches along a road in the Ashland Watershed area, March 18th, 2026.

03/19/2026

Apologies this didn't get shared earlier. Burning will continue through the end of the week as conditions allow. Thanks for your patience!

Tomorrow, U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is managing a controlled burn at high elevation near Weasel Creek off the USFS 2060 Road. Smoke will be visible from around town and across the valley. There may be some smoke impact starting tomorrow and through Saturday, March 21st close to the burn on Wagner Glade, Potlicker, Horn Gap and No Candies Trails.

City of Ashland Oregon thanks our forest partners and community for the help in reducing wildfire risk. Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative Lomakatsi Restoration Project Rogue Forest Partners

Ashland Woodlands & Trails Association Ashland Mountain Bike Trails RVMBA - Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association Ashland Mountain Adventures

03/09/2026

Prescribed burn season is in full swing now. You may see burning on privates lands and few test piles happening on City of Ashland Oregon forest lands. None of the burning is expected to impact air quality.

To plan for summer smoke, and take action this spring when prescribed fire smoke enters town, check out smokewiseashland.org and, see the watershed camera here: https://youtu.be/LN_PMxrILK0

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

03/09/2026

FREE event and FREE entrance to ScienceWorks for the Third Annual Sparking Action! Join us for a day of fun and community connections on May 2nd from 10 am to 6 pm. https://www.scienceworksmuseum.org/sparking-action

Starting at 10 am, come meet firefighters and see the fire truck! Then, see fire science demonstrations and learn about the cultural use of fire in a basket making class.

At noon see Ballet Folkloric Ritmo Alegre!

Beginning at 2:30 PM, we will have a screening of the film Embers of Awakening: From Firestorm to Climate Healing.

Later in the day, see an art reception with local youth artists from 4 to 6 pm hosted by Anima Mundi.

Be more ready for smoke and wildfire by taking action! Meet partners in emergency management, fire response, and preparedness.


City of Ashland Oregon, ScienceWorks Hands-On Museum, Southern Oregon Forest Restoration Collaborative Lomakatsi Restoration Project

01/16/2026

Smoke from the Ashland Watershed will be more visible this afternoon as fire crews from the U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest and Grayback Forestry, Inc. work to line and burn out an area that had reignited after a previous pile burn. Conditions up high are abnormally warm and dry. Smoke will temporarily increase this afternoon during the burn out, which accomplishes the same goals as our spring underburning to remove hazardous surface fuel buildup and return good fire to the ecosystem....just a few months early this year. There is no threat to property or people from this burn.

Smoke will affect the 2060 road north of Horn Gap and the 2060-200 road including Horn Gap trail, Ricketty Trail, and the No Candies trail. If you are sensitive to smoke, please avoid these areas of the western Ashland Watershed. The burn area is circled in yellow on the map below with the number 22 in the middle.

We do not expect smoke to be an issue in the valley, but if you area particularly sensitive to smoke please take precautions found at www.smokewiseashland.org

City of Ashland OregonAshland Fire & RescueLomakatsi Restoration ProjectAshland Woodlands & Trails Association Rogue Valley Mountain Bike Association- RVMBA

01/15/2026

There is some residual smoke in the Ashland Watershed near Horn Gap from recent controlled burns. The U.S. Forest Service- Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest is aware and has resources ordered for tomorrow to address remaining smoke that's popping up above the ridge. There is no threat to the watershed or community. Recreationalists might want to avoid the area (2060-200, Horn Gap, Ricketty trail) due to smoke. Please do not report the smoke, thanks!