EUGENE, Ore. — A controlled burn was to blame for the heat and flames off Danebo Road in west Eugene Sunday. About 50 acres were torched, lofting a huge plume of smoke into the air. The Bureau of Land Management and Eugene and Springfield fire managed the blaze. It’s primarily to benefit endangered species in the area, where the prairie use to naturally burn. Crews say prescribed burns like these are heavily managed, especially with dry weather and shifting winds.
“We take readings in the beginning, we have a burn plan that tells us exactly the ranges we can work with and we stay within those ranges because if not, things could go wrong and that’s not what we’re about,” said Alan Corvan, Siuslaw Resource Area Field Manager for the BLM.
Crews say curiosity was rampant near the area Sunday, about 30 people drove by to see what was going on. Firefighters will stay on scene overnight and all of Monday.
