California State Parks has begun burning piles in various State Parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties.
Burning began Jan. 5, with conditions dependent on the weather, and will continue as it is safe and there is predicted weather that will facilitate smoke dispersal.
Over the next several months, 1,400 burn piles will be burned at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, Fall Creek, Castle Rock, Big Basin and Butano State Parks. All trails and roads will remain open to the public. Smoke is not anticipated to cause any impacts.
While the pile burning is occurring, it will be monitored 24/7, until piles are cold. Burning will continue as conditions allow until the pile burning season ends. Ignitions are scheduled to occur between 8am and 5pm for all burns.
To better inform the public on prescribed burns and other operations taking place in State Parks’ Santa Cruz District, which includes all state parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, new social media accounts were created by the district as well as a webpage: parks.ca.gov/santacruzprescribedburns.
The burns are part of the prescribed fire program for vegetation management, hazardous fuel reduction, wildlife habitat improvement, and other ecological benefits. Treatments enhance the health of the forest by removing fuel buildup, and restore essential nutrients to the soil while reducing the chances of catastrophic wildfires.
These burns are permitted, planned and coordinated with the Monterey Bay Air Quality Management District and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in order to minimize smoke impacts to surrounding communities. All burning depends on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable for smoke dispersal. If the conditions are not conducive for burning, the burns will be rescheduled.
Prescribed burns produce significantly less smoke than wildfires. Should the public see or smell smoke in their surroundings, officials recommend avoiding strenuous outdoor activity and remaining indoors as much as possible. These precautions are especially important for children, the elderly, and people with respiratory and heart conditions.
For more information, call the Santa Cruz District prescribed burns hotline at 831-216-6459 or email [email protected].
