Live Fire Training Starts Wednesday In Tuolumne County

Sonora, CA – Cal Fire warns that the public may see smoke in the Sonora skies for the next two days but it is just a drill.

The Cal Fire Tuolumne – Calaveras Unit will be conducting live fire training in Tuolumne County at the Sardella Ranch on Wards Ferry Road. The goal of the exercise is to train students from around the state in the proper techniques to plan and conduct complex firing operations during wildland fire suppression. Students will learn how to starve an approaching wildland fire of available vegetation, which will aid the rangeland by burning Medusahead grass, a noxious weed identified by Tuolumne County Agriculture Department, according to Cal Fire.

The live fire training kicks off at 10 a.m. and runs until 5 p.m. on both Wednesday and Thursday. Those in the area will not only see and smell smoke but there will be five fire engines and two fire crews, and one bulldozer at the scene. A total of about 80 acres of grass and oak understory will be burned if conditions allow.