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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (June 5, 2019)
6 Wednesday, June 5, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Buckaroo Breakfast... Campfire safety critical in Oregon It9s camping season in Oregon9s natural places. Despite recent rains, dry con- ditions are already present in many areas and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) reminds visitors to enjoy their campfires responsibly. <Regularly reviewing campfire safety practices, even if you9re a seasoned camper, is a good habit to get into,= said Chris Havel, OPRD associate director. <It9s especially important if you9re camping with children or folks that are learning about respon- sible outdoor recreation.= Follow these tips for a safe and enjoyable campfire: " Know before you go: research conditions for the area surrounding your camp- ground. Fire restrictions may be in place at the park, county or state level. " Maintain campfire flames at knee height, or roughly two feet high. This helps prevent ash or embers from becoming airborne, especially during the dry summer months. If you see wind stirring up embers from your fire, play it safe and extinguish it. " Only build campfires in the existing fire ring in your campsite. Fire ring locations are carefully picked, and park rangers clear vegetation around rings to create a safe buffer zone. " Always keep plenty of water nearby to extinguish your campfire. To put out your fire, drown the flames with water and stir the embers to make sure everything is wet. The stirring step is important: ash and wood debris often maintain heat and embers unless they are drowned out. " Beach campfires should be started on open sand, away from driftwood or vegetation. Use water to extinguish your beach fire, not sand. Covering the fire with sand will insulate the coals, keeping them hot enough to burn unsuspecting beachgoers hours or even days later. " For propane fire rings, follow the same safety pre- cautions you would with a log-based campfire. Propane fire rings should be placed in, on or directly next to installed park fire rings. " Make sure everyone in your campsite, even children, is familiar with campfire safety. Always keep an eye on your campfire; many acci- dental fires are started because campers left their fire unat- tended for <just a minute.= Region sees increasing tree mortality BEND (AP) 4 An Oregon State University forester says dry winters and long periods of drought, combined with fire suppression, are affecting the health of Central Oregon trees. Nicole Strong, a forestry and natural resources exten- sion agent for OSU, described an increased amount of tree mortality 4 including juni- pers 4 in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. The Bulletin reports that Strong says junipers on the High Desert have become more fragile in recent decades, thanks to fire suppression policy. Periodic fires thin for- ests and improve the health of existing trees. When fires do not occur, forest density increases, resulting in more competition for water and space to grow. <This is the main rea- son we see a lack of resil- ience and mortality during periods of drought, as well as when there are insect or disease outbreaks,= she said. <If nothing is done, such as prescribed burns, this will be compounded in the future according to climate change models.= The tree deaths have also been noticed by the Bureau of Land Management, which manages thousands of acres of juniper woodlands in Central Oregon. Deschutes Field Manager Jeff Kitchens described dying junipers in the High Desert between the Bend Airport and Powell Butte, as well as Crooked River Ranch. <I am getting calls from landowners regarding trees on adjacent public lands and we wish we could provide an answer. People are noticing the dying trees and we are directing them to reach out to local extension offices,= Kitchens said. PHOTO BY JEFF OMODT Sisters Kiwanis will host its traditional Buckaroo Breakfast on Sunday morning, June 9, from 7 to 11 a.m. Funds raised support the club’s outreach programs. DOES YOUR CAR HANDLE LIKE A BUCKIN’ BRONCO? SCHEDULE YOUR ALIGNMENT TODAY! Juniper trees typically grow between an elevation of 2,600 and 9,800 feet and can live up to 1,600 years. Their berry- like cones, 5-10 millimeters in diameter, are an important source of food for birds native to Central Oregon, includ- ing Clark9s nutcracker and the American robin. Native Americans used the berries for medicinal purposes. The BLM has no imminent plans to remove dead trees. <If at any time areas affected were to directly be safety hazards to human life and or property we would work with our partners and neighbors to prioritize treat- ments. Some mortality, which may be a natural process of thinning and forest/wood- land succession, will most likely benefit the ecosys- tem and require little, if any, active management from us,= Kitchens said. DAVIS TIRE 541-549-1026 Serving Sisters Since 1962 188 W. Sisters Park Dr. In Sisters Industrial Park across from SnoCap Mini Storage CUSTOM FENCES AND DECKS RODEO TO GO! CRAFTSMANSHIP & ATTENTION TO DETAIL Residential • Commercial Custom Ranch & Domestic Privacy Fencing Decks • Gates • Stain & Paint • Repair Delicious made-from-scratch grab-and-go sandwiches, jerky and cheeses. Enjoy NW craft beer, wine & cider too! FREE ESTIMATES COMPETITIVE PRICING 541-588-2062 CCB#215066 www.SistersFenceCompany.com Our artisans are 3rd generation meat and smoking experts 541-719-1186 • 110 S. Spruce St. Open 9 AM -7 PM Every Day MEATS • CHEESES • EATERY • DRINKERY