This week firefighters on Plumas National Forest’s Beckwourth and Mount Hough ranger districts are planning to conduct pile burning operations in multiple locations, with ignitions starting the morning of Jan. 9, conditions permitting.
On the Beckwourth Ranger District, plans are to treat approximately 50 acres of machine piles near Frenchman Lake. Ignitions were expected to be completed during the morning of Jan. 9.
Smoke impacts for the pile burning on the Beckwourth Ranger District should be limited to the Frenchman Lake area, with some minor smoke impacts of short duration on nearby forest roads.
Firefighters on the Mount Hough Ranger District plan to treat approximately 32 acres of piles this week, including hand piles and large machine piles.
Approximately 12 acres are planned for treatment northwest of Keddie along Quarry Road. Additional acres at the Mount Hough Ranger District Office, Greenville Campground and Gansner Bar Work Center will be treated throughout the week.
Smoke is expected to be visible but not have significant long-term impacts to nearby communities, including Quincy and Greenville. Minor smoke impacts of short duration are possible on California State Highways 70 and 89 and on neighboring forest roads.
Firefighters will be closely monitoring smoke impacts on Highway 70 and will implement traffic controls if needed. Drivers in the area are asked to use caution, watch for increased firefighter traffic in these areas and be prepared for reduced visibility due to smoke, especially in the early morning and at night as smoke settles.
If weather conditions become unfavorable, including increased or gusty winds in the area, burning will stop until conditions improve. Firefighters will be monitoring conditions throughout operations and will continue to patrol as needed.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas or www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas.
Information submitted by Plumas National Forest