Shasta-Trinity 2012 Prescribed Burning Program
Incident: Shasta-Trinity N. F. Prescribed Prescribed Fire
Released: 10/25/2011
NEWS RELEASE
U.S. Forest Service ● Shasta-Trinity National Forest
Public Affairs & Communications
3644 Avtech Parkway, Redding, CA 96002 ● Voice (530) 226-2500 ● Web: www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity
Release No. FS-100411-19 October 5, 2011
Contact: Melissa Jackson 530-226-2324
Prescribed burning to begin on the Shasta-Trinity National Forest
REDDING, CALIF. - The Shasta-Trinity National Forest plans to perform prescribed burning this fall. The burns will be conducted as the weather patterns become cooler and wetter.
"Weather and vegetation conditions must meet certain criteria in order to implement a prescribed fire or to burn piles of slash," said Paige Boyer, Assistant Fire Management Officer for the Forest. "Slash is wood material accumulated after thinning an area or other unwanted woody debris."
"Weather is an essential criterion in the planning and implementation process of prescribed fires. Wind speed and direction, temperatures, relative humidity and measurable moisture in vegetation are the other factors taken into consideration prior to any burning activities," Boyer said.
Prescribed burning is a method used by fire managers to burn excess vegetation that may become a fire hazard during the dry seasons.
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"The removal of accumulated brush and trees is a very important piece in establishing healthy and resilient forests," Boyer said. "Managing a prescribed burn is one tool fire managers have to enhance forest ecosystems."
Areas that are planned for prescribed burning include:
National Recreation Area Shasta Lake (NRA): Lakehead area, Packer's Bay, Jones Valley vicinity, Green Mountain (East shores of Shasta Lake in Pit Arm area), Iron Canyon, Reynolds Basin and Turn Table Bay. There will also be pile burning at various administrative sites.
South Fork Management Unit (SFMU): Just north of the town of Hayfork, west of Hayfork (6 to 7 miles), Wildwood area, Indian Valley area, S. of Harrison Guard Station (Beegum Gorge, Trough Ridge) and Dobbins Gulch (east of Peanut). There will also be pile burning at various administrative sites.
Shasta McCloud Management Unit (SMMU): Pile burning east/northeast of McCloud as well as along the Everitt Memorial Highway north of Mt. Shasta and in the Sims area. The "Dry" burn project is a meadow restoration and is located off the Harris Spring Road approximately 10 miles north of Highway 89. The "East McCloud Timber Sale Underburn" project is located east of McCloud and north of Highway 89 and encompasses 4 timber sales: Bear, Hemlock, Powder and Pilgrim. There will also be pile burning at various administrative sites.
Trinity River Management Unit (TRMU): China Gulch, Rainer Road (2 miles W of Trinity Lake), Long Canyon Road (3 miles W of Covington Mill), Bonanza King Roads, Manzanita Ridge Road, Trinity Dam, Weaver Bally Road, Garden Gulch, Soldier Creek Loop, Professor (2.5 miles SE of East Fork), Friedrich Road, East Branch Phase I and II (adjacent to East Weaver Campground and East Branch Road), Underwood Mountain Road, Big Lake Road, Hocker Meadow area, Slate (3 miles northeast of East Fork) and Bluebird (3.5 miles north on Canyon Creek Road). There will also be pile burning operations conducted at various forest administrative sites.
Fall, winter and spring weather often provide better conditions for prescribed burning. Over the next several months the public may see smoke in various parts of the forest. This project will have some short-term impacts on air quality levels. Air quality is very important to the Forest Service and the Agency will comply with all State and Federal air quality regulations.
Burning activity will be accomplished during weather conditions that would minimize impacts of smoke on communities. The prescribed burning program is usually completed by late spring.
Specific project location information is available online at www.fs.fed.us/r5/shastatrinity. Additionally, prescribed fire announcements will be placed at local District Offices and post offices a few days prior to implementation.
For updated information on the implementation process please call the local District Offices.
Shasta Lake National Recreation Area- (530) 275-1587
South Fork Management Unit- (530) 352-4211
Shasta-McCloud Management Unit- (530) 926-4511
Trinity-River Management Unit- (530) 623-2121
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