Burn Will Bring Smoky Skies To Copperopolis and Angels Camp

Prescribed burn with fire engine

San Andreas – Nearby communities and travelers along Highways 49 and 4 in Calaveras County will see smoke in the skies tomorrow.

CAL Fire crews will set ablaze around 60 acres on the Whittle Vegetation Management Program (VMP) site on Wednesday. Ignition will be at 10 a.m., with the burn lasting until 5 p.m. While no exact location was provided, state fire officials detailed, “The primary purpose of the prescribed burn is to reduce hazardous fuel around Fowler Peak Lookout, communication towers, and surrounding infrastructure located on top of the Bear Mountain Range, just East of Copperopolis and West of Angels Camp.”

The prescribed burn will be along the ridgetop of Bear Mountain. Resources assigned to the blaze will be fire engines, fire crews, and bulldozers. CAL Fire added, “The Whittle VMP project was planned as part of broader strategic efforts to protect the local community and nearby natural resources.  These plans are informed by community and local stakeholder input and serve as a collaborative effort with a range of cooperators throughout the course of the project.”