A 450 acre controlled burn in the El Dorado National Forest Thursday morning left a murky haze over Northern Amador County, alarming some residents. According to Kristi Schroeder, Assistant Public Affairs Officer with the El Dorado Forest, the Cat-Anderson Prescribed Burn took place north of Highway 88 on the northern border of Amador County and, weather permitting, will continue throughout the coming week. Forest Service and staff were on scene to ensure the burn stayed under control and within its containment lines. “We have the project fully staffed and the burn is progressing well,” said Schroeder. Plymouth City Treasurer Suzon Hatley was one of many residents affected by smoke blowing southeast from the blaze. “The wind shifted and it became real smoky down here. You could smell it in the houses,” she said. Hatley said she received about a dozen calls from concerned citizens wondering if there was a fire close by. Most of the smoke was caused by a strong southeast ridgetop wind combined with active backing of the fire down slope. The wind pushed the smoke further down into the foothill communities than was expected. Schroeder was quick to dispel rumors amongst Plymouth residents that the burn was 9000 acres. “We would never consider burning that much of an area at one time,” she said, adding: “There’s a whole set of variables that we look at before each burn, including fuel moistures, humidity and temperatures.” Friday’s rains were also considered when planning for the latest round of burns, said Schroeder. Story by Alex Lane.