MENDOCINO CO., 10/16/26 – Two prescribed burns are planned for today and tomorrow, according to the Mendocino County Air Quality Management District.
The prescribed burns are authorized for Oct. 16 and 17 at Cooley Ranch, south of Yorkville and west of Cloverdale, weather and air quality conditions permitting, the district said.
Up to 850 acres in Cooley Ranch Unit 8 are authorized for burning Friday, Oct. 16, and up to 500 acres in Unit 5 on Saturday, Oct. 17.
The district cautioned that smoke may be visible in surrounding areas and could temporarily affect local air quality. Residents should take precautions to limit their exposure if smoke is present, especially children, older adults and people with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Burn activity can be monitored online through the California Air Resources Board’s Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System at ssl.arb.gov/pfirs and the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map at fire.airnow.gov.
For more information, call the Mendocino County Air Quality Management District at 707-463-4354.
Do I imagine a negative framing to this story? I hope not. Rx Fire is a necessity, not a luxury, in an environment like ours that produces 1) a whole lot of biomass in all shapes and sizes, every single year, 2) a summer drought, every single year, and 3) periodic spells of a dry winter or two or three.
Don’t imagine a life without smoke, it’s not the least bit realistic. The realistic choice is either a little smoke pretty often, or a hell of a lot of smoke once in a while. Only one of those options is likely to result in destroyed towns, water supplies, and local economies.
Support Rx Fire, please.