Controlled Burns To Be Held Near San Andreas Dam, Pilarcitos Dam In San Mateo County
SAN MATEO COUNTY (BCN) -- Crews with Cal Fire and the San Mateo County Fire Department are set to conduct a one-day burn across a total of 7 acres on land owned by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission on Wednesday morning.
The burn areas consist of 4 acres at San Andreas Dam and 3 acres at Pilarcitos Dam -- both sites located within San Mateo County.
The burn is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and is expected to cause light smoke, visible from parts of Interstate Highway 280, Cal Fire officials said.
The goal of the burn is to reduce fuel for wildfires and for maintaining access for inspections and monitoring of the dams. The areas are also used for training for firefighters and SFPUC watershed staff to prepare for the upcoming fire season, according to Cal Fire officials.
SFPUC biologists have already surveyed the burn sites for the presence of special status plants and animals like the San Francisco garter snake and the California red-legged frog. The biologists are set to perform a final survey on Wednesday morning just before the burn starts.
The burn was originally set to be conducted on Tuesday morning, but due to "unfavorable" weather conditions, Cal Fire officials moved the burn to Wednesday.
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