California State Parks

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CALFIRE), in partnership with California State Parks, is planning to conduct a prescribed burn of 15 acres of chaparral in The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. Ignitions are scheduled between 10:00 AM and 5:00 PM on Wednesday, February 19, 2020 and monitoring will continue throughout the week and weekend. Please see attached maps for the burn plot. Aptos Creek Fire Road adjacent to the burn will be closed during act...ive burning. This burn is part of a larger fuel reduction project and is one of 35 high priority statewide projects identified by CALFIRE as a result of Governor Newsom’s State of Emergency. This burn is part of a long-term strategy to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire and to maintain chaparral habitat. This habitat relies on fire to maintain a healthy and unique ecosystem. This burn is permitted, planned and coordinated with the Monterey Bay Air Quality Management District in order to minimize smoke impacts. On the day of the burn, the conditions must meet the prescriptions set in the Burn Plan to start ignitions. Smoke should be expected from this area but should not be a cause for concern. Updates to follow.

Due to two predicted wind events preceding the rains this week, California State Parks and CALFIRE will not be burning the Big Basin plot this year. The rains will potentially put grassland burns at Ano Nuevo State Park and Wilder Ranch State Park into prescription for the week of December 2, 2019. Updates to follow.

California State Parks, in partnership with CALFIRE, is planning to conduct a prescribed burn of up to 360 acres in Big Basin Redwoods State Park starting Tuesday, November 26 and continuing through the holiday weekend, as conditions apply. The area is near Johansen Road. Note: Hollow Tree Trail and Lane Trail Camp will be closed for the duration. This burn is part of a long term strategy at the State Park to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfires and to protect the ol...d-growth redwood forests. This habitat type relies on fire to maintain a healthy ecosystem. In advance of these burns, we obtain air quality and burn permits. On the day of the burn, we must meet the prescriptions set in the Burn Plan to start ignitions. Smoke should be expected from this area but should not be a cause for concern. Attached is a map of the burn plot. Updates to follow.

State Park and CalFire crews were able to successfully burn the 14 acre chaparral plot at Henry Cowell Redwoods SP just before we received nearly 3 of rain. The last of the fire within the plot was extinguished by the rain over the weekend. Vegetation monitoring over the next several seasons will help Park staff determine just how effective the burn was for enhancing this rare habitat. Thank you to all who have helped make this project happen or had to live through the smoky afternoon of the burn.

Ignitions at the Henry Cowell Sandhills burn were successfully completed yesterday. Due to the wet weather, we are not expecting any issues but we will continue to monitor.

California State Parks and CalFIRE, will be conducting a 14 acre prescribed fire in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park near the Observation Deck tomorrow, Tuesday, May 14, approximately 10:00 am- 4:00 pm. The area is located off Graham Hill Road, near the campground. Note: Pine Trail from Ridge Road down to Powder Mill Rd will be closed during ignitions. Smoke should be expected from this area and should not be a cause for concern. We know it is short notice, but with rain pred...icted Wednesday and next week, we are facing a small window of time to burn. The burn area will be patrolled through the rest of the week and weekend. The burn in the Henry Cowell Sandhills is part of a long-term strategy to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire and to maintain rare sandhills habitat. This rare habitat type relies on fire to maintain a healthy ecosystem and regenerate sensitive species. In advance of these burns, we obtain air quality and burn permits. On the day of the burn, we must meet the prescriptions set in the Burn Plan to start ignitions. Attached are a map of the burn plot. Updates to follow.

There are significant hurdles to overcome for us to burn due to the current commitments of Cal Fire, but with the rain predicted for Wednesday and Friday we should be in prescription to burn our grasslands at Wilder Ranch. We typically only have seven days from our first wetting rain until these grasslands are too green to burn, so we are pushing to burn this coming Monday through Wednesday. If it happens we will be starting in the grasslands below Twin Gates and progressing down slope and south. Hopefully we will be able to burn what we refer to as the Tiger Beetle Meadow #7 as well as the Eucalyptus Loop #12, and Long Meadow #13. Map Attached. After that we will be hoping for another week of drying to bring us into prescription for Big Basin, map attached.

State Park and Cal Fire crews were able to successfully burn the 14 acre chaparral plot at Henry Cowell Redwoods SP. The last of the smokes within the plot were extinguished by State Park crews early last week. Vegetation monitoring over the next several seasons will help Park staff determine just how effective the burn was for enhancing this rare habitat. Thank you to all who have helped make this project happen.

Ignition of the 14-acre Henry Cowell SP prescribed fire was completed this past Thursday (6/14). Smoke from the plot may be visible locally as some of the heavier fuels continue to burn down within the plot perimeter. State Park fire crews will continue patrolling the burn until fire is determined to be out. Estimated time of completion will be early next week. Updates to follow.

California State Parks Natural Resource Management, alongside CalFIRE, will be conducting a 14 acre prescribed fire in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park near the observation Deck tomorrow, Thursday, June 14 at approximately 10:00 am, conditions permitting. In the event that conditions change overnight, the burn will be postponed to June 15. The area is located off Graham Hill Road, near the campground. Note: Pine Trail from Ridge Road down to Powder Mill Rd will be closed duri...ng ignitions. Smoke should be expected from this area and should not be a cause for concern. The burn in the Henry Cowell Sandhills is part of a long-term strategy to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire and to maintain rare sandhills habitat. This rare habitat type relies on fire to maintain a healthy ecosystem and regenerate sensitive species. In advance of these burns, we must obtain air quality and burn permits. On the day of the burn, we must meet the prescriptions set in the Burn Plan to start ignitions. Attached are a map of the burn plot and a photo from a previous year's burn in the area. Updates to follow.