Cal Fire to conduct prescribed burn at Morro Dunes reserve this week
Smoke may be visible during multiple burn days through early October
– Cal Fire’s San Luis Obispo Unit will conduct a prescribed burn at the Morro Dunes Ecological Reserve’s Bayview Unit in Los Osos as part of an ongoing habitat restoration project, according to a news release.
Cal Fire will conduct the operation in collaboration with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District.
Fire personnel plan to burn piles of cut vegetation from Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, and possibly from Oct. 6-9, weather permitting. The amount of vegetation being removed will require multiple burn days, according to Cal Fire.
The operation aims to promote regeneration of three rare, threatened, and endangered plant species that are either fire-dependent or benefit from fire: Bishop pine, Morro manzanita, and Indian Knob mountainbalm. The project will also reduce accumulated flammable vegetation to support community wildfire defense.
Fire personnel will remain at the site throughout the operation and will conduct the burns under favorable weather conditions. Smoke may be visible in surrounding areas. Officials advised residents not to report the fire unless an emergency unrelated to the prescribed burn occurs.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Cal Fire said they use prescribed burning and interagency collaboration to reduce wildfire risk and manage the land.
