Prescribed Burn at Herbert Farm Planned for September 27

September 16, 2025 - The Corvallis Fire Department is planning to conduct a prescribed fire at Herbert Farm & Natural Area, a 221-acre City-owned parcel near the southern edge of Corvallis. The fire will be planned and conducted by a team of experts, with two primary goals: to restore natural habitats and to reduce wildfire risk.

The fire requires very specific weather conditions to ensure safety and is tentatively planned for September 27.

The Corvallis Fire Department is partnering with Corvallis Parks and Recreation and the Institute for Applied Ecology for the prescribed fire. Both organizations have been conducting restoration work at Herbert Farm since 2011. The agencies partnered on a successful prescribed fire in 2021 in the same area.

Wildfires were common in the Willamette Valley prior to the arrival of Euro-Americans. Modern land management uses regular burns to reintroduce the beneficial effects of fire into an ecosystem, which can encourage fire-adapted vegetation and help expand endangered species populations as part of habitat restoration efforts.

The prescribed fire, also known as a controlled burn, will affect about 40 acres of Herbert Farm. Firefighters from the Corvallis Fire Department, Philomath Fire Department, Adair Rural Fire & Rescue, Monroe Rural Fire Protection District, and Oregon Department of Forestry, as well as the Institute for Applied Ecology, will maintain a robust presence at the site before, during, and after the burn, to ensure safety of the people involved and the land itself. Traffic access will be managed throughout the event.

Depending on weather conditions on the day of the prescribed fire, some community members in south Corvallis may notice smoke at various points throughout the day. The parcel is about a mile from the Corvallis Municipal Airport, and the Fire Department has notified the airport operator about the planned burn.

For more information on the Corvallis Fire Department, go to www.corvallisoregon.gov/fire.