Mountain Communities — The Sierra National Forest (SNF) will continue prescribed burning within the Bass Lake Ranger District, beginning Tuesday, February 15th thru Sunday, February 20th as weather and air quality is optimal to start ignitions.
These treatments will consist of understory burning removing fuels created during tree mortality, timber harvest, and is designed to reintroduce fire under controlled conditions into this ecosystem to help improve forest health. The removal of these fuels provides multiple benefits by reducing the potential of a wildfire that would cause damage to wildlife habitat, watersheds, private property and providing safety zones for firefighting resources in the event of a wildfire.
The planned understory burning will take place on the Double gate located North of Oakhurst within the Lewis Creek drainage. A one-to-two-acre test burn will be conducted prior to the burning of the unit to ensure burn objectives will be met. The burn ignitions are planned to take place starting on Tuesday and ending Sunday if needed with approx. 150 total treated acres, weather permitting. Due to the location of these operations, a few trails within the Miami OHV system will be temporarily closed to public use.
Lewis Creek Trail to be closed today.
These burning activities have been coordinated with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to time the project with favorable weather conditions allowing for good smoke dispersion.
Localized smoke impacts may be felt in Oakhurst, Fish Camp, Sugar Pine, Cedar Valley, Bass Lake, Ahwahnee, and North Fork. For regional information about air quality, smoke conditions, and please visit the this link health effects
Visitors may see smoke, or active fire, and firefighters during these burns. Visitors and residents are asked to drive slowly and carefully as they enjoy the Forest.
For firefighters and public safety, signs will be posted along roadways where burning is taking place. If you would like more information on the prescribed burning, contact Burt Stalter, Bass Lake Ranger District Fuels Specialist at (559) 877-2218 ext. 3208
