Burn Piles Scheduled In Santa Cruz May Close Roads

Santa Cruz CA

02 March, 2022

4:12 PM

Description

SANTA CRUZ, CA — California State Parks will ignite burn piles in Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park Friday through Monday, which might result in road closures. Roughly 150 piles will burn as part of the fire program for vegetation management, hazardous load reduce, and wildlife habitat improvement. The process enhances the health of the forest with the hopes of reducing catastrophic wildfires. The burns are scheduled to start at 10 a.m. and last until 5 p.m. on March 3. Monitoring and patrolling will take place through the week and weekend following. 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. The burns depend on having the proper weather conditions but 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 precaution 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.