See Smoke Off I-15? Not To Worry, Cal Fire, US Forest Service Says

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — A controlled burn was planned for the mountains north of Lake Elsinore, in unincorporated Corona, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

Drift smoke may be smelled, and a column of smoke might be visible, a spokesperson for the fire department shared on X, formerly Twitter.

According to social media posts, this is the second day of controlled burning in that area.

"REMINDER, today CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department is assisting the @forestservice with a prescribed burn just Northwest of Bedford Motor Way and North Main Divide Road in the unincorporated Corona area. Smoke may be visible to residents."

The U.S. Forest Service describes prescribed fires as an effort to reduce extreme wildfires. They are typically planned for areas where trees are "stressed by overcrowding," causing a build-up of flammable fuels."

According to the U.S. Forest Service website, "the right fire at the right place at the right time:

• Reduces hazardous fuels, protecting human communities from extreme fires;
• Minimizes the spread of pest insects and disease;
• Removes unwanted species that threaten species native to an ecosystem;
• Provides forage for game;
• Improves habitat for threatened and endangered species;
• Recycles nutrients back to the soil; and
• Promotes the growth of trees, wildflowers, and other plants."