COBB, Calif. – Residents of Cobb and surrounding Lake County communities can expect to see smoke in the air regularly this spring.
Cal Fire reported that its personnel are conducting a large-scale pile burning operation on the Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest.
The burning operation is the final push to prepare for tree replanting and to reopen public access to the forest.
As a result of the Valley fire and drought-induced bark beetle mortality, 99 percent of the trees on the forest have died.
The forest management staff have been aggressively been removing these standing dead trees in preparation for replanting. Because of this clearing there are hundreds of residual slash piles that must be disposed of, officials said.
Disposal of this material is not feasible by other means due to the volume of the material, number of piles and time frame of which it must be disposed of, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire said a crew of firefighters has been assigned to conduct these pile burns throughout the winter on permissive burn days.
A large-scale smoke management plan has been completed in coordination with the California Air Resources Board and the Lake County Air Quality Management District. Department staff will follow the same rules and regulations that apply to the public.
“It is the goal of the department to restore the forest to a condition that is safe for public access. Allowing wood cutting, trail access, and camping is an important part of having this public land in Lake County,” said Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones.
Cobb residents should not be concerned to see smoke in the air and the local Cal Fire helicopter flying during the month of March, officials said.
Starting on March 1, Boggs Mountain Helitack Base will be staffed seven days a week with a helicopter and crew for air rescue operations across the North State. The monthlong rotation is shared amongst the five northern California Cal Fire Helitack Bases.
For more information about fire safety or prescribed fire and its benefits, visit the Cal Fire Web site, www.fire.ca.gov or call your local Cal Fire facility.
Cal Fire to conduct control burning at Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest
- Lake County News reports
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