The following is a press release issued by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service:
Officials with Mendocino National Forest are preparing to implement prescribed burning at sites across the Forest through the fall and winter as conditions allow. Staff plan to conduct prescribed fire activities during the safest possible “burn windows” in the coming months. Numerous factors including wind, humidity, air quality, fuel moisture and availability of fire crew personnel must be met before crews may move forward with burning.
Planned projects include:
- Howard Mill Piles: T17, R10 Sec 24
- Pine Mountain Piles: T18, R10 Sec 32
Other opportunities may be identified when conditions are met.
Prescribed fire, including vegetation cutting, removal and burning of piles and low-intensity understory burning, is an important tool for the Forest Service’s mission to reduce build-up of hazardous fuels, restore forest ecosystems and improve safety of local communities.
“When done safely and in the right conditions, low intensity fire combined with other fuels reduction techniques can help slow and moderate destructive wildfires,” said Fire Management Officer Curtis Coots.
Fire managers follow a risk-management approach when conducting these projects and mitigate impacts to local communities, residences and infrastructure.
Residents and visitors are asked to avoid areas where prescribed fires are being conducted. Some smoke may be visible. People should not be alarmed as the fires are carefully monitored. Local fire and government authorities will be notified prior to burn days and kept informed throughout prescribed fire operations.
Find real-time updates on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MendocinoNF and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MendocinoNF.
