MONTEREY COUNTY — Conditions and weather permitting, Cal Fire plans to conduct a two-day broadcast burn east of Salinas in Monterey County on Oct. 18-19.
The purpose of the project is to reintroduce fire into the ecosystem, thereby reducing hazardous fire fuels by removing brush and downed woody debris, enhancing the fire safety.
“This prescribed fire project was planned as part of broader strategic efforts to protect the local community and nearby natural resources,” according to Cal Fire. “These plans are informed by community and local stakeholder input and serve as a collaborative effort with various cooperators throughout the project.”
This project adds to significant work underway throughout the state.
“It brings California closer to meeting or exceeding state fuel reduction goals directed by the California Fire Plan and the California Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan,” stated Cal Fire.
Each operation follows a specialized burn plan, which considers temperature, humidity, wind, moisture of the vegetation and conditions for the dispersal of smoke. All this information is used to decide when and where to burn.
Smoke from prescribed fire operations is normal and may continue for several days after ignition, depending on the project size, conditions and weather. Prescribed fire smoke is generally less intense and of much shorter duration than smoke produced by wildland fires.
Smoke from this control burn will be visible from the Salinas Valley, Monterey and Santa Cruz areas, as well as San Benito County. Weather conditions will be monitored, and the burn may be postponed if burning conditions are found to be unfavorable.
“Cal Fire is in close consultation with the National Weather Service’s Monterey Office and Monterey Bay Air Resources District to ensure that the burn takes place in appropriate weather conditions; the project may be postponed if conditions are not conducive to a safe burn,” stated Cal Fire.
For more information on preparing for and preventing wildfires, visit ReadyForWildfire.org.
