Prescribed Burns Planned along Limantour Road and Highway 1 for the Weeks of October 19 & 26 and November 2

Date: October 13, 2009
Contact: Jennifer Chapman, 415-464-5133

Fire Management staff at Point Reyes National Seashore plan to burn 45 acres along Limantour Road and 130 acres along Highway One during 4 separate days over the next three weeks. One day of burning at Limantour is scheduled for the week of October 19, on either Wednesday or Thursday. Three days of burning along Highway One are scheduled for the weeks of October 26, and November 2, on Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday of those weeks. These burn dates may be delayed if conditions are too wet, dry or windy, or if the air will not provide good smoke dispersion. The burn locations are on the south side of Limantour Road, near Limantour Beach; and on the east side of Highway One, south of the Randall Trail. No trail closures will be necessary; however, there may be short traffic delays along Limantour Road and Highway One while burning is in progress.

The Limantour and Highway One projects are both part of a series of small burns along major road corridors designed to create strategic fuelbreaks in the park where a wildfire will be easier to control. Limantour Road and Highway One have increased potential for wildfire caused by vehicle-related ignitions. Fuel reduction along these roads will strengthen them as lines of defense to protect surrounding communities, as well as structures within the Seashore.

A 5 to 10 year burn rotation is targeted for the burn units in the Limantour fuelbreak to keep the coyote brush low and widely spaced where fire will move more slowly. The target burn rotation for the Highway One burn units is every other year to reduce the invasive French broom population and maintain open grasslands in between large areas of dense forest on Bolinas Ridge and Inverness Ridge.

To receive an email when the burn days are confirmed, contact the fire education office at 415-464-5133 or by email.

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