SONORA, Calif. — The Stanislaus National Forest provides the following information about planned prescribed underburns in the forest.

Prescribed Fire Name / Ranger District Unit 2 and Unit 9, Mi-Wok Ranger District

General and Specific Location:

• Unit 2 is located approximately one mile south of Long Barn, California, along Forest Road 3N90, near the North Fork of the Tuolumne River, Township 3N, Range 17E, Section(s)29,31,32.
• Unit 9 is located approximately one mile east of Ponderosa Hills, along Forest Road 2N09, near Mt. Provo, Township 2N, Range 16E, Section(s)22.

Smoke may be visible from communities along the Highway 108 corridor, with some down canyon drift smoke visible in the evening and early morning. This project is a planned prescribed fire. Please do not report as a wildland fire.

Projected Duration: Ignition of the prescribed burn is expected to begin in mid-May 2019, and is contingent on weather, fuel moisture, and air quality. Ignitions could continue daily or as conditions allow. All burning is monitored and conducted in accordance with state and county air quality guidelines and closely coordinated with local county air quality control districts.

Planned Size of Prescribed Burn: A total of 146 acres are to be treated with low-intensity fire, with planned ignition on approximately 50 acres daily. The size of the burn may vary with weather and fuel moisture conditions, as well as permissible air quality burn days.

Type of Prescribed Burn: Low intensity broadcast underburn

Burn Project Objectives: The goal of this prescribed burn is to enhance public and firefighter safety by reducing the build-up of dead and down fuels and to reduce the threat of high-intensity wildfire while protecting watershed values and wildlife habitat by creating a mosaic pattern of vegetation.

Public Benefits: Prescribed burning is an effective, cost efficient method of reducing flammable forest fuels, improving firefighting capabilities, and reducing the impacts of large uncontrolled damaging wildland fires. Smoke may be visible from Highway 108 and in surrounding communities. Fire managers are working closely with local air districts and the California Air Resources Board to mitigate the effects of smoke on the public.