North Lake Ballpark Prescribed Burn Visible from Trinity Center

Press release from the Shasta-Trinity National Forest:

The Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Trinity River Management Unit (TRMU), based in Weaverville, is planning to begin implementation of the North Lake Ballpark prescribed fire project on November 1^st.  Weather and fuel moisture conditions are expected to be favorable to use prescribed fire across approximately 50 acres.

The project’s goals are to reduce the brush component along ridge lines and to reduce dead and downed limbs, commonly referred to as surface fuels.  Using prescribed fire to reduce these fuels will contribute to reducing dead and down fuels and vegetation, to maintain the effectiveness of strategic fuel breaks throughout the project area. “The reentry of prescribed fire is a crucial component of fuels work to maintain and improve the forest health conditions on the landscape, reduce risk to nearby communities, and enhance recreation opportunities,” shared Tim Richey, Fuels Assistant Fire Management Officer in Weaverville.

It is anticipated that smoke will be visible in and adjacent to Trinity Center.  The impact of smoke on communities is taken into careful consideration and prescribed fire managers will be working closely with officials from the North Coast Unified Air Quality Management District to ensure the prescribed burn is not initiated unless it meets smoke dispersal standards.

Fire is a natural component of a healthy forest, and historically low to mixed-severity intensity fires would have normally occurred every 5-35 years in Northeastern California.  Prescribed fire managers try to mimic these fires to reduce hazardous downed materials and help the forest renew the growth cycle.

This prescribed burn falls within the Trinity Forest Health and Fire-Resilient Rural Communities Wildfire Crisis Landscape, meaning that prescribed fire will remain a critical tool, moving forward, to be used to aid in reducing risk to communities and restoring forest health.