News:Outdoor burning suspended early - Santa Cruz

Wildfire season comes early to Northern California
Due to low dead fuel moisture levels and winds causing a series of escaped controlled vegetation burns, CAL FIRE is suspending the debris pile burn season early in the San Mateo/Santa Cruz areas.
Both in the Sierra foothills and the Central Coast range there has been a series of escaped fires during a time in early spring that normally would be safe to burn excess vegeation.

CZU - Effective Friday, April 18. - San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit - CAL FIRE has canceled outdoor burning season almost two weeks early

CAL FIRE has shut down outdoor burning season almost two weeks early because of a spate of escaped "controlled burns," drier than normal weather and rainfall gauge amounts less than in most years.

Battalion Chief Kay Price of CAL FIRE's San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit headquartered in Felton announced the change effective Friday, April 18. The season customarily lasts until May 1, but Cal Fire made the decision in cooperation with the Monterey Bay Air Pollution Control District.

Agricultural and land-management burns may be permitted if CAL FIRE issues a special permit, she said.

Cal Fire has started preparing for summer wildfire season by hiring seasonal firefighters and training new firefighters, and will be ready if conditions require opening the official summer wildfire season earlier than the usual June 1 date, she said.

Editor - Maybe the normal official summer wildfire season in Central Cal will soon be May 1st?