Burn Piles Scheduled In Santa Cruz County May Close Roads

SANTA CRUZ, CA — California State Parks plan to ignite burn piles in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, which might result in road closures.

The burns are tentatively scheduled to start Tuesday, depending on weather conditions. 150 piles were previously scheduled to burn in the beginning of March.

Now, when lit, roughly 70 piles will burn as part of the fire program for vegetation management, hazardous load reduction, and wildlife habitat improvement. The process enhances the health of the forest with the hopes of reducing catastrophic wildfires.

The burns are tentatively scheduled between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monitoring and patrolling will take place through the week if the piles are lit.

Temporary closures at Graham Hill Road between Sims Road and Lockewood Lane may occur if visibility is impacted.

The Monterey Bay Air Quality Management District and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District permit and coordinate the burns to minimize smoke impact on nearby communities.

Weather permitting, people living in the Santa Cruz Mountains area and those driving on Graham Road should prepare to see smoke.

Officials say it’s unlikely, but if you smell smoke, they recommend taking precautions and remaining indoors if need be to avoid harmful health effects. Additionally, use extreme caution when driving by the burns due to fire personnel and equipment in the area.

Find more information here.