BLM plans prescribed fire in Weaverville Community Forest
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WEAVERVILLE, Calif. – Fire crews from the Bureau of Land Management and partner agencies will be conducting a prescribed fire in the Weaverville Community Forest, Wednesday, Feb. 19. The prescribed fire will be conducted only if fuel moisture and weather conditions allow for safe and successful burning and smoke dispersion.
The prescribed fire will be conducted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Smoke will be visible from Weaverville and Highway 299 during ignitions and into Thursday, Feb. 20.
The prescribed fire will cover about 43 acres and is designed to remove fuels that could feed and intensify a wildfire. Crews will patrol and extinguish smoldering fuels. Some residual smoke may linger into the weekend. The prescribed fire will also help maintain forest health, maintaining stands of mature conifer trees.
The project is the second prescribed fire for this portion of the community forest where a prescribed fire was completed successfully in 2010.
The Weaverville Community Forest contains about 15,000 acres under the jurisdiction of the BLM and Forest Service. The two federal agencies work with the Trinity County Resource Conservation District to jointly manage the forest for recreation uses, timber production, and a community firewood source. Community residents value its recreational trail network and visual aesthetics.
Partners in the upcoming prescribed fire include the Shasta-Trinity National Forest, National Park Service and Trinity County RCD. Additional information is available by contacting BLM Fire Management Officer Rob Winkler at 530-224-2124.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.