Burning To Play Ball
San Andreas—Fire is being used to cut down on fuels at a San Andreas ballpark and allow baseball players to take the field.
CAL Fire Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit will be assisting the San Andreas Fire Protection District with a Ballpark Fuels Reduction Burn on Thursday, June 9th. It is slated to start between 8 and 10 a.m. at the San Andreas Recreation & Park District Ballfields near the intersection of Mountain Ranch and Calaveritas roads. The prescribed burn is expected to last 6 to 8 hours.
Around 14 acres of annual grass and oak woodland will be ignited at the ballfields. CAL Fire says there are two purposes for the burn. One is to clear hazardous fuels on the site used for daily recreation by local citizens, allowing for a cleared area to be used during regularly scheduled events. The other benefits include training on live fire utilizing various techniques with multiple local cooperating fire agencies.
Smoke may be visible in the community and near Highways 49 and 12, and Mountain Ranch Road near the Calaveras County Government Center. Fire officials relay that control lines and established roadways will be used to prevent the spread of fire from areas outside the burn unit. Additionally, fire crews will remain on the scene until all hotspots are out.
Other agencies assisting with the burn include the Calaveras County Air Pollution Control District and the Central Calaveras Fire and Rescue Protection District.
