Photo from Mount Hamilton WebcamLooking across the valley at fire in center of view
Credit: Bay Area Web Cams - Link
What: CAL FIRE and the Mid-peninsula Regional Open Space District are planning a controlled burn today in San Mateo County
Where: Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve near the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Page Mill Road. Google Map - Link
Blacklining, a control line has been completed around the intended burn perimeter, to ensure that the burn is contained within the designated area.
When: Today - Controlled burn is expected to be completed in one day, but may extend to two or be rescheduled depending on weather conditions and availability of fire personnel and equipment. Note: The preserve will be closed for the day and there may be delays along Skyline Boulevard.
Who: Fire personnel and equipment on-hand for the burn include four MROSD patrol units and a water tender, five CAL FIRE engines, a La Honda Fire Brigade engine and water tender, a King’s Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade engine, a Ben Lomond Fire Camp Crew and a firefighting helicopter.
Why: “The controlled burn improves fire safety by reducing dry vegetation and creating a firebreak along this prominent ridgeline in San Mateo County. The burn also provides valuable live fire training to local emergency response agencies, who work together when incidents occur on Open Space District lands and in surrounding communities,” said CalFire Unit Chief John Ferreira in a semi-prepared statement.
Controlled burns are one of several tools MROSD officials say they use to manage grasslands in the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve for the health of the environment and to reduce fire hazard.
Four controlled burns have taken place at Russian Ridge since 1998, and have proven effective in controlling brush, reducing invasive plants such as Harding grass, and increasing the abundance and diversity of native California grasses and wildflowers, which are adapted to periodic fire.
Related MROSD Notice: As part of the Grassland Management Study at Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve, the District will be scheduling a prescribed burn for one or two days in the time periods between July 7 and July 10 or July 13 through July 17, 2009. The preferred day is Wednesday, July 8th. The burn is anticipated to be completed in one day, but it may be necessary to extend this to two days if local weather conditions change.
The entire preserve will be closed during the burn.
Controlled Burn Planned for Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
posted 6/26/2009
Press Release: Controlled Burn Planned for July 8
posted 7/6/2009
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