MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest has tentatively scheduled a helitorch burn on Thursday, March 8, or Friday, March 9, depending on weather.

The burn will clear approximately 600 acres of brush off Forest Highway 7, at Long Point approximately 40 miles northwest of Willows.

Approximately 30 wildland firefighters and helicopter will supervise the operation.

Ecological restoration and an integrated approach to forest and natural resource management is a top priority for the Mendocino National Forest and prescribed burning is one of several tools used to restore overall forest health. Helitorch burning is one way to achieve this goal.

Helitorch burning is the controlled release of a flaming accelerant from a 55 gallon torch that looks like a barrel which is suspended from underneath the helicopter.

The method is utilized to burn large areas of brush in order to maintain fuel breaks and type conversions for wildlife and grazing.

The type conversions were created back in the 1950s by burning large areas of brush and replanting them with grass seed.

The forest burns to maintain these areas and keep the brush from encroaching on the unit.