Siuslaw National Forest Plans 10-Acre Prescribed Burn Near Waxmyrtle Campground

Firefighters on the Siuslaw National Forest are conducting a 10-acre prescribed burn today near Waxmyrtle Campground in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area, targeting invasive European beachgrass as part of a broader restoration effort along the Oregon coast.

The campground sits eight miles south of Florence, and the burn was planned for the week of March 9-10, with Tuesday, March 10 set as the ignition date. Trained firefighting personnel are igniting the beachgrass while fire danger is low, monitoring the burn to ensure fire does not spread outside the intended area.

The operation follows a pre-approved burn plan that includes a range of parameters to identify windows of opportunity for conducting a burn, such as weather and fuel moisture conditions. That planning framework is standard practice for prescribed burns across the region, ensuring ignitions only proceed when conditions support safe and effective execution.

No closures are anticipated, but smoke may be visible from Highway 101 in the Waxmyrtle and Tahkenitch areas. Motorists traveling that stretch of the coast highway should be aware that reduced visibility is possible depending on wind direction.

The burn is part of a restoration project aimed at reducing dense vegetation in the Oregon Dunes. European beachgrass, introduced to the Oregon coast in the early 20th century to stabilize sand dunes, has since spread aggressively, displacing native plant communities and altering the open dune habitat that characterizes the recreation area. Prescribed fire is one of several tools land managers use to push back against its spread and restore the dune landscape that draws visitors to the area year-round.