A firefighter conducts burning in the Concow Basin. Photo courtesy of Plumas National Forest.
LOST SIERRA — Firefighters treated over 100 acres in the Concow Basin last week in collaboration with Mendocino National Forest, Cal Fire Butte County, Butte County Conservation District, PG&E, and contract firefighting resources. Burning was done in preparation for a reforesting project starting in the spring, which includes planting seedlings. Plumas Forest also took advantage of low fire risk conditions after rain and snow to conduct pile burning in the Lakes Basin region.
The Tahoe National Forest has similarly been conducting burns, particularly on the Sierraville District along Highway 89. Acting Sierraville District Ranger Christina Hood says that 266 acres of pile burning has been conducted in the Independence Lake area.
Close-up of a firefighter lighting a prescribed burn near Concow.
Some burning also occurred on the Yuba District, but District Ranger Tom Parrack is waiting for the ground to be further saturated with precipitation before conducting burns on the Trapper Project area near Camptonville. Steep terrain may cause piles to roll downhill, with the potential to spread fire should dry fuels be present.
Timber projects are now halting for the season. Over 60,000 tons of timber were removed from the Sierraville District this year, amounting to over 12,000 board feet. Two projects remain to be completed on that district.