CAL FIRE To Conduct Fuel Reduction Burn Near San Andreas
San Andreas, CA–The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) in the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit is set to carry out a hazardous fuel reduction burn near the intersection of Highway 49 and Pool Station Road, adjacent to the community of San Andreas in Calaveras County. The burn will take place on June 12 and 13.
The burn units encompass approximately 130 acres of land consisting of annual grasses, oak woodland, and scattered chaparral species. This area is part of the Performing Animal Welfare Society’s (PAWS) Vegetation Management Program (VMP), and PAWS utilizes the adjacent areas as a sanctuary for abused, injured, and abandoned captive wildlife. By conducting this burn, CAL FIRE aims to create a defensible area of reduced vegetation between Highway 12 and the community of San Andreas, mitigating the risk of damaging wildfires to both the wildlife sanctuary and the nearby residential subdivisions.
Aside from reducing vegetation, the PAWS VMP Burn will also aid in the control of noxious weeds, including yellow star thistle. Furthermore, it will provide an opportunity for firefighters to undergo training on live fire, utilizing various techniques.
The burn operation started at 9:00 a.m. and continues until 5:00 p.m. on both days. As a result, members of the public may observe smoke or fire in the vicinity of Highway 49 and Pool Station Road intersection, as well as in the community of San Andreas.
To ensure the containment of the fire, control lines and established roadways will be employed to prevent its spread beyond the designated burn unit. Firefighters will remain at the scene until all hotspots are extinguished. CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit will be working in collaboration with the San Andreas Fire Protection District and the Calaveras County Air Pollution Control District to facilitate the burn operation.
