Pile Burning On Dragoon Gulch Trail To Cause Smoky Skies In Sonora

Published Feb 7, 2026 9:37 am

Tuolumne Fire Safe Council Dragoon Gulch Fuels Reduction Project Pile Burning

Sonora, CA – Smoke will be visible in downtown Sonora as crews ignite a pile burn in the Dragoon Gulch Trail area next week.

During the Dragoon Gulch Fuels Reduction Project Pile Burning conducted by the Tuolumne Fire Safe Council (TFSC), crews will set ablaze slash piles created by an earlier project burn. The burn is set to begin Wednesday, February 11th, 2026, weather permitting.

TFSC asks pedestrians and motorists to use caution if hiking or traveling in the area. They noted that smoke may be visible and residents may smell it during the burn, depending on wind direction and weather conditions. The council will monitor the burn to comply with safety and environmental regulations.

The Dragoon Fuels Reduction Project will treat roughly 90 acres using a combination of mastication and manual labor. The project’s overall anticipated cost is slightly more than $500,000. The CAL Fire Wildfire Prevention Grants Program provided the funding for the project through the California Climate Investments project.