MENDOCINO CO., CA., 6/5/26 — Cal Fire will conduct a prescribed burn later this month along U.S. Highway 101 from south of Ukiah to south of Willits, the state fire agency said.
About 400 acres of grass along the highway will be burned over three weeks, starting June 22 and concluding on or around July 9, according to Cal Fire.
The burn will start south of Ukiah at Nelson Ranch Road and finish at the top of the Ridgewood Grade south of Willits, Cal Fire officials said.
Burning will take place from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday with smoke visible in the area, Cal Fire said.
The prescribed burn will contribute to fuel reduction, helping reduce risk of future wildfires while also providing live fire training opportunities for firefighters. People can visit the Cal Fire fuels reduction dashboard for more information on local and statewide progress on fuel reduction and fire risk mitigation.
Yay PTSD
Is this the same thing they did last year where they burn both sides of the road for 20′ and leave it a blackened wasteland for the rest of the Summer? Looks so bad, just cut the grass short and leave it.
It is James. And I also think it’s horrible. I really think it’s a public facing front/money laundering endeavor. It can’t possibly be cheaper or more efficient, other than letting calfire foot the bill rather than caltrans. For fire survivors it’s very triggering to think there’s a fire ahead when you see the smoke. Breathing the smoke sucks.
This Vegetation Management prescribed burning along US Hwy 101 serves multiple purposes as stated in the article.
Two of the purposes are CAL FIRE mission critical:
First: Live fire experience and fire behavior training for all fire suppression personnel.
Second: Removing the ignition receptive fire fuels immediately adjacent to the roadway to prevent ignitions caused by vehicles, equipment and people.
Having responded to countless roadside ignitions Statewide during my CDF/CAL FIRE career I will take the burned grass adjacent to the roadway over an out of control Wildfire (Several of which burned residential structures, resulted in deaths and cost millions to suppress) all the time every time!!
Our local 2017 fire was caused by PG and E though.