San Andreas, CA—Smoke will be visible in San Andreas during a two-day prescribed burn this week at the Performing Animal Welfare Society, or PAWS, in Calaveras County.
The PAWS VMP burn will reduce vegetation between Highway 12 and San Andreas and the risk of fire damage to the wildlife sanctuary and the adjacent subdivisions. CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit (TCU) will begin the burn near the intersection of Highway 49 and Pool Station Road on Thursday, June 4th, and Friday, June 5th, 2026. The burn is expected to begin at 9 a.m. and run until 5 p.m. each day. Approximately 110 acres of annual grasses, oak woodland, and scattered chaparral species will be burned.
“Reduction of noxious weeds, including yellow star thistle, as well as training on live fire utilizing various techniques, will be secondary benefits of the PAWS VMP Burn,” shared CAL FIRE TCU.
Smoke or fire may be visible along Highway 49, Pool Station Road, and the community of San Andreas. According to CAL FIRE TCU officials, “Control lines and established roadways will be used to prevent the spread of fire from areas outside the burn unit. Firefighters will remain at the scene until all hotspots are out.”
