NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, along with Winters Fire Department and Yolo County Fire Department, will be conducting a prescribed burn along Highway 128 between Pleasant Valley Road to Canyon Creek Resort in Yolo County.

The dates for this prescribed burn will be taking place Wednesday, May 27, through Saturday, May 30.

The burning will take place in the morning to avoid the heat of the day and increased fire activity.

Approximately 50 acres are planned to be burned, with ignition starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending at 2:30 p.m. each day or as conditions change.

Residents can expect to see smoke in the air during this time along with fire apparatus in the area while the prescribed burn is taking place. Residents and commute traffic can expect single lane traffic control in the area during this time.

The area to be treated has seen five large fires over the last five years. This project is a collaboration between Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit, Yolo County Office of Emergency Services, Winters Fire Department and Caltrans.

Cal Fire Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones directed her staff to take steps to prevent another large fire in the future.

The involved agencies pooled resources and personnel to create a fire break to prevent fires originating from Highway 128 to spread into the steep rugged country to the north where topography makes firefighting extremely difficult.

The completed line will be approximately 6 miles long ranging from approximately 10 feet wide to 150 feet wide.

The project is utilizing existing ranch roads and connecting them with handline constructed by Cal Fire crews to minimize the impact to the environment.

The control line will allow firefighters to burn the grass on the north side of the highway clearing the area of available fuel for a wildland fire to start.

These prescribed vegetation management burns are carefully planned and must meet strict criteria for ecological benefit, weather parameters, smoke management, and fire safety guidelines.

When all conditions are met, trained wildland firefighters conduct the burn while monitoring the set criteria, fire behavior and designated fire control lines.

The prescribed burn will comply with requirements of the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District. Yolo-Solano AQMD can be contacted at 530-757-3660.

For more information about fire safety or prescribed fire and its benefits, visit the Cal Fire website.