Residents and travelers in southern and northern Lassen County should expect to see smoke along the Highway 395 corridor as the Bureau of Land Management begins prescribed burning projects scheduled to start today, February 17th.
According to BLM Lead Public Affairs Specialist Jesse Pluim, crews will be focusing on burning piles of brush, limbs, and small trees. These piles are the result of previous fuels reduction projects designed to thin out combustible materials near local infrastructure.
Project Locations
The prescribed burns will cover a total of 32 acres at two primary locations:
Doyle Fire Station: Three acres located at the BLM Fire Station, 434-695 Doyle Loop Road, in Doyle.
Ravendale Fire Station: 29 acres located at the BLM Fire Station, five miles south of Ravendale along Highway 395.
Safety and Smoke Monitoring
The BLM emphasizes that burning will only take place when weather and fuel conditions are optimal for a safe and successful operation. Officials will be closely monitoring smoke production; if smoke begins to significantly impact visibility on Highway 395 or affects the communities of Doyle and Ravendale, ignitions will be halted immediately.
While the primary burning begins today, residents should be aware that smoke may remain visible for at least one additional day after ignitions are completed.
Why They Burn
These projects are conducted under strict burn plans that specify the required personnel, equipment, and environmental conditions. The goal of these fuels reduction efforts is to improve fire resilience within the “wildland-urban interface”—the area where homes and developed lands meet the forest.
By removing these piles now under controlled conditions, the BLM aims to improve the effectiveness of wildfire suppression and make it easier for firefighters to defend structures during the summer fire season.
