Due to unexpected rain, conditions for the planned prescribed burning this week near Meadow Valley are out of prescription.
Firefighters did not move forward with ignitions and do not plan to conduct prescribed burning operations in the area the rest of this week.
Firefighters on the Plumas National Forest Mount Hough Ranger District are planning prescribed burning operations near Meadow Valley this week, conditions permitting.
The first unit is in the Spanish Ranch Project Area, located north of Meadow Valley. Approximately 151 acres are planned for treatment with ignitions starting as soon as tomorrow. If conditions remain favorable, firefighters plan to treat approximately 134 acres southeast of Meadow Camp Campground.
Ignitions are expected to start tomorrow morning and continue through Friday.
Smoke is expected to be visible but not have significant long-term impacts to nearby communities, including Meadow Valley, Quincy, Bucks Lake and Butterfly Valley.
Short duration, minor smoke impacts are expected in Meadow Valley and along Oro-Quincy Highway and neighboring forest roads. Visibility on roads in the project area may be reduced, especially early in the morning and late evening as smoke settles.
There will also be increased firefighting equipment traffic in the area. Drivers in the area should use caution, watch for fire equipment exiting and entering area roadways, and possible slow traffic.
Area residents and visitors planning to recreate in the area, including hunting and fishing, are asked to be aware of their surroundings, be prepared for possible short-term smoke and reduced visibility, and to watch for vehicle traffic and firefighters working near roads.
If weather conditions become unfavorable, including increased or gusty winds in the area, burning will stop until conditions improve. Firefighters will be monitoring conditions throughout the operation.
For more information on the Plumas National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/plumas or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/USFSPlumas.
About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in worldclass science and technology and rooted in communities, the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.
