The following is a press release issued by the United State Department of Agriculture Forest Service:
This week Mendocino National Forest fuel managers are planning to conduct the Westshore Understory Burn, a low-intensity prescribed fire of approximately 90 acres west of Lake Pillsbury and north of the Eel River on the Upper Lake Ranger District.
Contingent upon safe weather and fuels conditions, fire managers will start ignitions on Wednesday, Mar. 30 through Friday, April 1.
Crews will carefully monitor the burned area throughout the burn window into the weekend and the following week.
Fuels in the Westshore area were previously treated, and the unit is one of the remaining green stands that survived the 2020 August Complex and the 2018 Ranch Fire.
Reintroducing low-intensity fire can reduce build-up of hazardous fuels, restore forest ecosystems and improve safety of local communities.
Forest officials remind residents and visitors to avoid the project area. Smoke may be visible in the Lake Pillsbury basin and has the potential to impact roads at times.
Motorists are asked to use extra caution when driving in areas of smoke. Motorists should slow down, turn on headlights and watch out for equipment and firefighters working along roads.
Real-time updates on the Westshore Understory Burn will be posted on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MendocinoNF and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MendocinoNF.
