San Bernardino National Forest: Angelus Oaks Fuel Reduction Project

Thursday, April 11, 2013

San Bernardino National Forest: Angelus Oaks Fuel Reduction Project

Incident Overview
Forest Service Fire crews are planning to burn approximately 120 acres as part of the Angelus Oaks Fuel Reduction project. With weather and conditions permitting, firefighters are burning today and plan to burn on April 12.

The project area is located along Forest Road 1N12 located immediately north of the Angelus Oaks community. Smoke and flames will be visible to residents and motorists along State Route 38 and may be visible from other mountain communities and highways.

Firefighters will be using a technique called "hand burning" using a variety of tools such as the drip torch and fusses to reduce the chemise component in the chaparral system. Crews will continually monitor conditions and adjust burning as based on favorable weather conditions.

"Doing this work under these favorable weather conditions reduces the risk of a catastrophic wildfire threatening mountain communities under typical, dryer and windy conditions common to the area in the summer and fall fire seasons. ," stated Front Country District Ranger Gabe Garcia. "The understory burn is part of a larger 535 acre project initiated in 2004 and will maintain that work we have all invested in to improve the survivability of Angelus Oaks", Garcia added.

The Angelus Oaks Fuel Reduction project has reduced fuels around the Angelus Oaks community. Pile burning and broadcast burning are part of fuels treatments that include mechanical removal of vegetation. Fuel reduction projects near mountain communities include removing dead trees as well as thinning and stacking piles of dense brush, and burning the piles in the wet season.

During burning operations the popular Santa Ana River Trail and Forest Road 1N12 will be closed to public use.

Smoke from the prescribed fire may be visible from Big Bear, Running Springs, Crestline and communities in the Redlands, Yucaipa, San Bernardino area.

Basic Information

Incident Type	Prescribed Fire
Cause	Prescribed Fire
Date of Origin	Thursday April 11th, 2013 approx. 10:00 AM
Location	Anguelus Oaks
Incident Commander	Mike Wakoski

Current Situation

Total Personnel	160
Fuels Involved	chemise component in the chaparral system in a pine overstory.

Outlook

Terrain Difficulty	Rocky, steep terrain - elevation 6000 feet

Current Weather

Wind Conditions	3 mph SW
Temperature	51 degrees
Humidity	27%

CFN - California Fire News 2013

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Thursday, April 11, 2013