Prescribed Burns For Walnut Creek, Lafayette Fuel Break To Begin

WALNUT CREEK AND LAFAYETTE, CA — The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District — Con Fire — plans to start prescribed fire operations Wednesday in the Lafayette/ Walnut Creek Shaded Fuel Break Project area.

As firefighters burn piles of brush and vegetation cleared from the project area, it will produce smoke that may be visible in the surrounding neighborhoods.

"Residents are advised to keep doors and windows closed during day-time hours to reduce possible smoke from entering homes," Con Fire said.

Con Fire received a $3 million California Climate Investments Wildfire Prevention Grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection —CAL FIRE — to create the fuel break along 11 miles and 268 acres of open space in southern parts of Lafayette and Walnut Creek.

A groundbreaking was held in January for the project, with the tentative completion in late 2025.

The fuel break will provide significant protection from wildfires for residents in Rossmoor and southern Lafayette, according to Con Fire Capt. Chris Toler.

When constructing a fuel break, the first step is to reduce dangerous wildfire fuels such as understory vegetation, dead or dying trees and highly combustible brush. This lowers the potential intensity and speed of wind-driven wildfires, giving firefighters more time to respond.

At the same time, a tree canopy formed by healthy mature trees remains largely intact to reduce the future growth of brush and understory vegetation, including invasive non-native plant species.

The desired result of a shaded fuel break is to restore fuel to more natural levels. Prescribed burns are introduced periodically to burn off piles of foliage and brush removed from the project area by firefighters.

The Lafayette/ Walnut Creek Shaded Fuel Break Project will feed into similar local projects, including the North Orinda Shaded Fuel Break completed in 2019. The 1,429-acre, 19.3-mile fuel break helps protect residents of Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda from a wildfire approaching from open space to the north and northeast.

• READ MORE: Con Fire To Create Shaded Fuel Break Between Walnut Creek, Lafayette