Mount Mount Diablo State Park Controlled Pile Burns To Begin

Starting next week, the smell of smoke in the air may drift over the Tri-Valley as fire crews conduct pile burns at Mount Mount Diablo State Park, California State Parks officials announced this week.

The burns will be conducted from mid-January to mid-March in an effort to reduce vegetation and reduce the wildfire risk in the Knobcone Point Road and Blackhawk Ridge Road areas, according to state park officials.

Additionally, the reduction in vegetation will help native plants to thrive, park officials said.

The work will not trigger park closures, and the timing of the burns will depend on air quality and factors such as wind forecasts. Residents wishing to receive updates on the effort can email state park officials at fire.diablorange@parks.ca.gov.

Residents and park visitors are advised to expect periodic visible smoke from the south side of the mountain during burn operations. The fires may cause smoke to linger in the air in the days following the work, California State Parks officials warned.