Black Forest Burns to Resume

The Konocti Fire Safe Council is pleased to report that, after several weeks of financial uncertainty the Bureau of Land Management has given top priority to field operations in the Black Forest.

This is an extremely significant development allowing a Spring Burn of piled debris in the forest to be put back on the schedule. BLM Fire Management Specialist, Joseph Rodriguez tells us that “the pile-burn is set for mid to late April and is expected to take 2 to 5 days.”

The burn project work, which is being done by the Tribal Eco Restoration Alliance will involve the burning of approximately 500 piles on 37 areas of fuel break dramatically reducing the risk of ignition.

In addition to rescheduling the pile burns, BLM reports that about 75 large diameter trees that were felled by PG & E and were left in the fuel break have mostly been removed, restoring if not improving conditions in the area.

All of us at the Konocti Fire Safe Council are extremely heartened by these developments and are thankful for the efforts of Lake County Supervisor Jessica Pyska’s office and for the offers of support from both the Mendocino National Forest and the Cal Fire Lake-Napa Unit, to get this project is back on track.

We look forward to a safe fire season.