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The planned pile burning operations on the Upper Lake Ranger District were suspended today and for the rest of the week due to weather. The current storm system is causing high winds and snow at low elevations. There are concerns that the winds and wet weather will cause new downed trees or land slides impacting access to the burn project sites as well as making poor conditions for successful prescribed fire. Conditions will be re-evaluated early next week for resumption of pile burning operations.

After several weeks of daily rain, prescribed fire pile burning was begun on the Upper Lake Ranger District. Due to the wet conditions, only 1/2 an acre was completed on this day. If conditions allow, additional acreage will be attempted next week.

Fuels specialists have completed 13 acres of pile burning for the week and are patrolling daily this weekend. Next week, forest staff will continue to burn piles in the same vicinity around Lake Pillsbury, Jan. 30 - Feb. 2.

No firing operations took place this week on either the Upper Lake Ranger District or the Grindstone Ranger District. On the Upper Lake Ranger District, a crew monitored previously ignited burn units daily. After an inch of rain last weekend, no smoke or heat was observed in any of the locations. Next week Upper Lake fuels crews will attempt approximately 30 acres of pile burning in the Westshore project or the Pillsbury homesites area between Tuesday, Feb. 14 and Thursday, Feb. 17, weather permitting.