Plumas Forest Begins Prescribed Burns to Reduce Wildfire Risk

Update: Firefighters put further ignitions at the South Park prescribed burn on hold after igniting approximately 3 acres because the fire was not producing the desired effects or meeting the burn plan’s objectives, Plumas National Forest Public Affairs Officer Tamara Schmidt said in a 1:10 PM update.

Fire lines surround the burned area, and crews are securing it and putting out remaining hot spots. The South Park trail system has reopened, although some areas have heavy smoke. Residents and visitors should use caution; the forest expects the smoke to ease in the coming days.

Crews are evaluating other Mount Hough Ranger District units for possible burning Thursday, October 29. The forest plans to monitor South Park through the fall and resume burning when conditions are optimal. Schmidt said plans for Thursday will be shared Wednesday evening.

QUINCY – Firefighters began prescribed burning north of Quincy on Wednesday, October 28, using a window of favorable conditions to reduce vegetation that could feed a future wildfire near homes and trails.

The Plumas National Forest plans to treat approximately 404 acres in the South Park area between Chandler and Oakland Camp roads. In an 11:40 AM update Wednesday, forest Public Affairs Officer Tamara Schmidt said test fires had succeeded around 11 AM and ignitions were continuing. Crews were aiming to treat about 152 acres that day, starting near the Ridge and Bear Cub Trails and working toward the western edge of the treatment area.

The South Park Trailhead, locally known as Barlow, the Monument Trailhead, and other access points along Chandler Road are closed, and the Forest Service is asking people to stay out of the work area. Residents and travelers can expect visible smoke and more firefighting vehicles, particularly on Chandler Road.

The South Park burn is part of the North Quincy Project on national forest land adjoining residences and private timberlands. Monday’s announcement outlined an initial phase Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a pause, with burning in the remaining area beginning as soon as Sunday, November 1, if conditions allow.

The forest says the burns are intended to protect communities and restore forest health. South Park is an underburn, which consumes needles, leaves, branches, and low vegetation beneath the tree canopy. Reducing these fuels and small trees that can carry flames into tree crowns can lower a later wildfire’s intensity and help firefighters contain it, according to Forest Service research.

Prescribed fire can also return nutrients to the soil and encourage plant growth. Burn plans specify suitable weather, vegetation moisture, and smoke dispersal conditions. At South Park, crews will monitor conditions throughout the operation and stop burning if weather becomes unfavorable, including increased or gusty winds, the forest said.

The work at Quincy is part of a fall and winter program that includes prescribed burns in all three Plumas National Forest ranger districts, most near communities.

On the Beckwourth Ranger District, the forest’s October 23 notice outlined approximately 200 acres of planned treatment in the Madora Project near Plumas Pines and Graeagle. That area received pile burning last year. This fall’s plan combines underburning with burning the remaining piles in the project’s interior.

Pile burning consumes vegetation gathered into piles. The forest expects Madora burning to bring smoke to Plumas Pines and Graeagle, especially when smoke settles overnight. That work depends on suitable weather and fuel conditions.

Smoke, Trails, and Travel

Around Quincy, the forest expects smoke to be highly visible. Smoke may settle in lower areas during the evening, including Chandler Road, Quincy, Keddie, and communities farther down the canyon. The forest also identifies a possibility of limited smoke impacts in Indian Valley.

The agency anticipates brief, minor smoke impacts along nearby roads, with visibility reduced at times. It asks drivers to avoid Chandler Road when possible and use caution on California State Highway 70 near the ranger station and Chandler Road, where equipment will enter and leave the road and traffic may slow.

Smoke from prescribed fire contains fine particles that can irritate the lungs and aggravate heart and lung conditions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Children, older adults, pregnant people, and people with heart or lung disease are among those at greater risk.

Residents can check the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map for local air quality. EPA’s smoke-exposure guidance recommends reducing outdoor activity when air quality is unhealthy, keeping windows and doors closed during smoky periods, and filtering indoor air.

As of Wednesday’s update, the Spanish Trailhead, Spanish Traverse, and Spanish Ridge remained open, and the Cascades Trail was accessible from the Cascades Trailhead. The original plan calls for the Spanish Trailhead to close when burning resumes, potentially as early as Sunday.

Closures will continue after ignitions where needed to keep visitors safe. Fuels inside the burn area may continue burning and producing smoke for up to two weeks after ignition, and the forest advises smoke-sensitive trail users to choose other routes until the burn is completely out.