California State Parks is preparing to conduct prescribed burns at Wilder Ranch State Park after the first significant rain event of the season.
The prescribed fires are slated to continue daily for the next two weeks between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.. At Wilder Ranch State Park, roughly 600 acres of grassland habitats will be included in the prescribed burns. This includes Twin Oaks, Wilder Ridge, Baldwin and Englemann grasslands. Some trails could be closed temporarily to ensure public safety.
The agency will also burn roughly 145 acres of coastal prairie habitat at Año Nuevo State Park, just north of the Santa Cruz-San Mateo county line. The burn will take place on the ocean side of Highway 1. The section of Whitehouse Creek Trail from Highway 1 to the beach access will be closed during burning operations. People around the Monterey Bay and Pescadero areas, as well as those driving on Highway 1, could see smoke on the day of the burns.
Monitoring and patrol will occur throughout the daytime period and extend into the evening if necessary. All burning is dependent on weather and air quality conditions that permit smoke dispersal and meet ecological goals. If conditions are not conducive for burning, burns will be rescheduled.
State Parks said the prescribed burns are part of a program to help improve the health of the forest and reduce the chances of catastrophic wildfires by removing hazardous fuel and restoring essential nutrients to the soil. The burns provide other ecological benefits, the agency said, such as improving local wildlife habitats. The scheduled fires are coordinated by the Monterey Bay Air Quality Management District and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to prevent smoke impacts to surrounding communities.
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