QUINCY, CA — Plumas National Forest firefighters are preparing to start prescribed burning as soon as this week, conditions permitting.
Plans are for a mix of underburning and pile burning projects on each of the ranger districts as weather and fuel conditions allow.
Projects firefighters hope to have accomplishment on include:
- Beckwourth Ranger District – Big Hill Underburn in the Sloat and Cromberg area; Lakes Basin Piles; Frenchman Lake Piles.
- Feather River Ranger District – Challenge Underburn and Piles in the Challenge area; Concow/Magalia Piles around the communities of Concow and Magalia; other pile burning projects across the District as they are accessible and conditions allow.
- Mount Hough Ranger District – Butterfly Valley Underburn in Butterfly Valley near Quincy; Spanish Ranch Underburn near Quincy; and multiple pile burning projects across the District as they are accessible and conditions allow.
“This past fire season was a reminder about the urgency for critical fuel reduction and the benefits of treatments, including prescribed burning, to help with community protection and forest health restoration,” said Plumas National Forest Fuels Officer Ryan Bauer. “We are monitoring conditions and identifying opportunities to continue this important work this fall.”
Information will be shared ahead of, during and following prescribed burning operations on the Forest Facebook page at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas. To be added to the email distribution list, please email [email protected].
Prescribed burning is done when several factors including fuel moisture, temperature, wind direction and speed, humidity levels and other measures are within the range of prescription. Coordination with area air resource agencies also occurs before operations begin.
Smoke from both underburn and pile burning implementation is expected to be visible but not have significant long-term impacts to local communities. There may be reduced visibility on area roads during operations, as well as during evening and early morning hours when smoke tends to settle in lower areas.
There will also be increased firefighting equipment traffic in the area, particularly in the morning and evening hours. Drivers in the area should use caution, watch for fire equipment exiting and entering area roadways, and possible slow traffic.
“Public and firefighter safety is our highest priority while conducting prescribed burning and fuel reduction work on the Plumas National Forest,” Bauer said. “We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of area residents and visitors while we are doing this work to help protect our communities in and around the Forest.”
If weather conditions become unfavorable, including increased or gusty winds in the area, burning will stop until conditions improve. Firefighters will be monitoring conditions throughout the operations.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas.
###
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.
