Prescribed Burn To Resume Friday On San Mateo County Coast

HALF MOON BAY, CA — Unfavorable weather scuttled plans to conduct a prescribed burn near Pescadero on Thursday, but Cal Fire plans to resume the operation as early as Friday.

The fire operation, which kicked off Wednesday, is designed to reduce fire fuels and bolster the coastal prairie habitat over 250 acres near San Gregorio and Pescadero. Much of the area has not burned in at least 50 years, according to Cal Fire.

The weather held up Wednesday, allowing crews to meet their objectives, and officials said favorable conditions were expected to return Friday and allow for the burning of roughly 95 acres of coyote brush and poison oak near Pescadero.

According to Cal Fire, most of the smoke should blow toward the ocean, but some drifting could impact areas north of Pescadero, including San Gegorio and Half Moon Bay. Significant resources will be assigned to the fire scenes, including a bulldozer and helicopter, multiple fire engines, water tenders and hand crews.

The prescribed fires are part of Cal Fire's broader strategy to increase fire protection for communities and preserve natural resources.