Smoke Alert: In the Arnold Area Of Calaveras County

Sonora, CA — The Stanislaus National Forest plans to spark the Irish O’ Manuel Underburn in the Calaveras Ranger District in mid-May.

Smoke will be visible for those in the Arnold area and other communities along the Highway 4 corridor. The low-intensity fire will be ignited on Monday, May 13th and run through the spring; weather, fuel moisture and air conditions permitting. About 70 acres located along Forest Road 5N56, Trail 14E23, west of White Pines reservoir, and northwest of Arnold will be set ablaze in various block sizes based on environmental conditions and smoke production.

Forest Fire officials share the goal of this prescribed burn is to enhance public and firefighter safety by reducing the build-up of dead and down fuels and to reduce the threat of high-intensity wildfire while protecting watershed values and wildlife habitat by creating a mosaic pattern of vegetation. They stress since this is a planned prescribed fire anyone seeing smoke during this time not report it as a wildland fire.