Musser Hill Prescribed Burn

Release Date: 

Contact(s): Andrea Capps (530) 226-2494, (530) 605-7337


WEAVERVILLE, Calif. - The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is planning a prescribed burn for Wednesday, May 13, 2015 in Weaverville, California. The project area is within the Weaverville Community Forest, approximately one mile up East Weaver road between East Branch and Musser Hill. The size of the area is approximately 109 acres and consists of timber litter and oak woodland. If weather conditions permit, fire officials may decide to continue prescribed burning operations in the nearby area into Thursday.

This project’s expected initiation date is dependent upon several factors; including but not limited to, favorable weather and site conditions. Fire Managers will be evaluating conditions to ensure compliance with policy and utilization of best management practices. Fire Managers will be working with the Air Quality Management Board to ensure compliance with air quality regulations and health and safety conditions. A test burn will occur prior to burning the entire unit to monitor fire behavior and smoke lift and dispersion.

The purpose of the controlled burn is to reduce fuel loadings within the Weaverville Wildland Urban Interface, and to improve wildlife habitat by creating openings in brush patches and to stimulate new growth in manzanita and buck brush. Once treated, the site will provide a safer place for firefighters to work and better opportunities to control fires because of reduced fire behavior.  

Ignitions will begin around 10 a.m. Firefighters will use drip torches to ignite surface fuels, and controlled ignition patterns in order to create a mosaic of fire intensities. Residual smoke may be present throughout the evening and for one to two days afterward due to burning stumps and logs. The burned area will be monitored until all residual heat is gone.

Smoke will be visible from many places in Weaverville, such as Tops Market, Ace Hardware, Weaverville Airport, East Weaver, and Oregon Mountain Summit.

For more information, please call Lara Graham at 623-1788 (desk) or 440-8098 (cell).

The mission of the Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. Public lands the Forest Service manages contribute more than $13 billion to the economy each year through visitor spending alone. Those same lands provide 20 percent of the nation's clean water supply, a value estimated at $7.2 billion per year. The agency has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 80 percent of the 850 million forested acres within the U.S., of which 100 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.

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