LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Recent rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires, allowing Cal Fire’s Sonoma Lake Napa Unit to transition out of peak fire season.
The transition takes effect at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 10, in Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Colusa, Yolo and Solano counties.
Due to drought like conditions that persisted throughout 2018 in California, Cal Fire continues to maintain staffing to meet any future threat, as well as having the ability to strategically move resources to areas that remain at a higher wildfire threat level.
Cal Fire officials said the agency will also continue to monitor weather conditions closely and will maintain the ability to increase staffing should the weather conditions change or if there is a need to support wildfires and or any other emergencies in other areas of the state.
During the cooler winter months, Cal Fire will continue to actively focus efforts on fire prevention and fuels treatment activities as guided by the State’s Strategic Fire Plan and localized Unit fire plans. These will be done through public education, prescribed burns and various types of fuel reduction. These activities are aimed at reducing the impacts of large, damaging wildfires and improving overall forest health.
Cal Fire said 2018 has been an extremely active fire year, even more so than in 2017. This year California has seen the deadliest, the most destructive, the largest wildfire and most acres burned throughout the state in California’s recorded history. The Mendocino Complex, which burned mostly in Lake County, charred more than 450,000 acres to make it the largest wildland fire in state history.
Statewide, Cal Fire and firefighters from many local agencies battled more than 6,228 wildfires within the State Responsibility Area that burned over 876,225 acres. This is over 650 more wildfires this year than normal.
In the Sonoma Lake Napa Unit, Cal Fire responded to 463 wildfires that charred 111,995 acres. Cal Fire said that does not count acreage that burned on federal lands; a large portion of the Mendocino Complex acreage was in the Mendocino National Forest.
Residents are urged to still take precautions outdoors in order to prevent sparking a wildfire. A leading cause of wildfires this time of year is from escaped debris burning.
Before you burn, ensure it’s a permissive burn day by contacting your local air quality district and then make sure you have any and all required burn permits.
During burning make sure that piles of debris are no larger than four feet in diameter, provide a 10-foot clearance down to bare mineral soil around the burn pile and that a responsible adult is in attendance at all times with a water source and a shovel.
For more ways to prevent sparking a wildfire visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.
Cal Fire Sonoma Lake Napa Unit transitions out of peak fire season
- Lake County News reports
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