Amador County – The U.S. Forest Service announced it will begin fall prescribed burns in El Dorado National Forest as soon as weather conditions are right, with about 5,300 acres of national forest land scheduled to be burned, including 1,037 acres near Hams Station in the Amador Ranger District.

Deputy Fire Management Officer Steve Parr said prescribed fires are an important way to maintain forest health and reduce fuels that could feed future wildfires. Parr said: “Prescribed fires are ignited only when both weather and fuel conditions exist that will ensure low to moderate burning rates and firefighting resources are available to keep fires within fire lines.”

The prescribed burns planned in El Dorado National Forest over the fall and winter include 1,037 acres in the “Prospect Rock Prescribed Burn,” located on the north side of Highway 88 across from Hams Station and south of the Cosumnes River, in the Amador Ranger District. The project was planned to begin Sunday, Oct. 23.

Placerville Ranger District planned the “Iron Trap Prescribed Understory” burn of 1,375 acres near junction of Mormon Emigrant Trail and Silver Fork Road.

Parr says prescribed fires and pile burning are intended to reduce the amount of vegetation, such as needles, small plants, brush, and small trees, which can carry fire from the forest floor into treetops. Studies and experience have shown that prescribed fires will stimulate the growth of grasses, forbs and shrubs that provide food for deer, mountain quail and other wildlife.

“We are sensitive to the fact that smoke has an impact on people, particularly those with respiratory conditions and allergies,” said Parr. “Every effort is made to ignite prescribed fires when weather patterns will carry smoke away from populated areas.”

The Forest Service must comply and coordinate with state and local county air pollution control districts. Smoke may continue for days after actual ignition because of the large scale of these projects.

The Forest Service recommends that people living in or near the forest contact the nearest ranger station if they have respiratory illness or think the smoke might adversely affect them. These people will be placed on a “Sensitive Persons List” and will be notified of impending prescribed burning projects.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.