Burns planned next Tuesday near Vineyard Drive and Highway 46
Smoke will be visible in nearby communities during the burns
– Smoke may be visible near Vineyard Drive and Highway 46 in Paso Robles next Tuesday during planned cultural burns on the Willow Creek Conservancy, according to a press release from Cal Fire.
The burns are interagency operations hosted by the Salinan Tribe of Monterey and San Luis Obispo Counties with support from the Upper Salinas Las Tablas Resource Conservation District, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection San Luis Obispo Unit, and the San Luis Obispo County Air Pollution Control District.
Smoke will be visible in nearby communities during the burns. The timing depends on weather and air quality conditions suitable for smoke dispersal. If conditions are not suitable, the burns may be rescheduled.
Indigenous Tribes of California have used cultural burning for more than 10,000 years. Cultural burns are controlled, smaller burns led by Cultural Fire Practitioners to revitalize plants, reduce wildfire risk, enhance habitat, and support Indigenous lifeways and native ecosystems. Similar to prescribed burns, cultural burns are used to reduce fire hazards and lower the likelihood of uncontrolled wildfires that may cause significant air quality impacts on local communities.
