Prescribed burns begin in Giant Sequoia National Monument

SPRINGVILLE — Sequoia National Forest personnel are planning to begin their fall prescribed burning in the Western Divide Ranger District, Giant Sequoia National Monument.

Burning could start as early as this week.

With the recent storm in the area, weather and smoke conditions are predicted to be favorable for burning and fire crews are available to conduct the burns, forest spokeswoman Denise Alonzo said in a prepared release. As weather conditions and smoke dispersal allows, burning will continue through April 2009.

The first area that fire management staff has targeted to burn is near the community of Ponderosa at an elevation of 7,500 feet. There are approximately 100 piles of small limbs and broken tree tops that were created from a hazard tree removal project.

Alonzo said the trees removed posed a safety hazard to forest visitors driving along the Western Divide Highway.

The second area that fire management staff has targeted to burn is near the Sugarloaf area at an elevation of 6,000 feet. There are several hundred piles of small trees, brush and limbs that were created from a  community wildfire protection project.

Alonzo said the project will result in reduced risk of wildfire, helping protect the communities that are in and around it.

The last area that fire management staff has targeted to burn is near the communities of Camp Nelson and Pierpoint at an elevation of 4,500 feet.

Even with the recent storm, Alonzo said it is much too dry to start burning in this area. There are several hundred acres of piles composed of small trees, brush and limbs that were created from a community wildfire protection project. Like the Sugarloaf areas,

Alonzo said the project will result in a reduced risk of wildfire, helping protect the communities that are in and around it.

When the burning is completed, Alonzo said the piles themselves may not be entirely consumed in the fire. She said there are typically remnants of the pile left to protect the soil from erosion, and promote growth of new vegetation.

Some piles will be intentionally left unburned to benefit wildlife, Alonzo said.

Smoke from the prescribed burning operations will be visible from Ponderosa, Sugarloaf, Camp Nelson Pierpoint, Belknap and Coy Flat Campgrounds, she said. Forest personnel will be working closely with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to manage smoke production and reduce any local impacts, she said.

-- Contact The Recorder at 784-5000, Ext. 1043.