Plumas Forest Burns 95 Acres Over the Weekend

PLUMAS COUNTY – Plumas National Forest firefighters treated about 95 acres with prescribed fire near Quincy and Delleker over the weekend, with more burning planned north of Delleker through Wednesday, November 11, if conditions allow.

Mount Hough Ranger District crews treated approximately 39 acres in the North Quincy Project near the Cascade Trailhead on Saturday, November 7. Beckwourth Ranger District crews completed about 56 acres in the Willow Creek Units north of Delleker on Sunday, November 8, according to updates from forest Public Affairs Officer Tamara Schmidt.

At Willow Creek, crews planned to burn about 93 more acres Monday, November 9, with ignitions expected from about 9:30 AM to 3 PM, Schmidt said Sunday evening. The forest’s plan calls for treating up to 250 acres there from Sunday through Wednesday, including Sunday’s 56 acres.

The Willow Creek Units lie about 2 miles north of Delleker and 1 mile north of California State Highway 70. Firefighters conducted an extended test fire Sunday morning to check how smoke would disperse, then began the main ignitions around noon. By evening, Schmidt reported good fuel consumption, with crews putting out hot spots, monitoring, and patrolling. The unit was secure for the night.

Smoke moved generally north and east Sunday afternoon. Schmidt expected some smoke to settle overnight into Delleker and Portola, with limited impacts. She expected highly visible smoke again Monday, with good ventilation in the forecast to help it disperse.

The forest said crews will closely watch smoke conditions and may adjust the acreage, slow or halt ignitions, or wait for better conditions. Burning will stop if weather becomes unfavorable, including increased or gusty winds. Drivers on Highway 70 and nearby forest roads should watch for firefighting equipment and reduced visibility, especially early in the morning and at night.

Both operations used underburning, a prescribed fire beneath the tree canopy that reduces live and dead vegetation.

Willow Creek previously received pile-burning treatments during the winters of 2024 and 2025. The forest identified those units as important to protecting Delleker and Portola following the 2024 Gold Complex fires, Schmidt said.

Near Quincy, the underburn followed pile burning earlier in the week in the same general area. Schmidt’s Saturday update called for crews to spend Sunday securing the area, addressing hazards, monitoring, and patrolling.

The Cascade Trailhead remains open, but equipment will limit parking in the coming days. The Platform and Flume Trails remain closed until firefighters address hazards and determine they are safe to reopen, Schmidt said.

Smoke may linger on trails inside the treated area for up to two weeks after ignition as vegetation continues to burn. The forest advises visitors who are sensitive to smoke to choose other trails until the fire is out.

Firefighter traffic is also expected to remain elevated on Old Highway. The forest asks drivers to use another route when possible or travel with extreme caution, and to watch for equipment entering and leaving Highway 70 near the ranger station.