CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit Transitions Out of Fire Season

November 14th, 2016
CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit Transitions Out of Fire Season
Willits – Recent rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires allowing CAL FIRE’s Mendocino Unit to transition out of fire season effective Monday, November 14th at 12:01 A.M. in Mendocino County.
Acting Unit Chief Eric Hoffmann encourages all residents to take advantage of the cooler months ahead and prepare your home for the 2016 fire season by creating 100 feet of defensible space around your home. Detailed information on defensible space is available on our website at www.fire.ca.gov or contact CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit Headquarters at (707) 459-7414.
As drought conditions continue to have a hold on California, CAL FIRE is maintaining staffing to meet the current threat, as well as strategically moving resources to areas that remain at a higher threat level. CAL FIRE will also continue to monitor weather conditions closely and still has the ability to increase staffing should weather conditions change or if there is a need to support wildfires or other emergencies in other areas of the State. The 2016 fire season has been an extremely active year, even more so than in 2015. Statewide, CAL FIRE and firefighters from many local agencies battled over 5,585 wildfires within the State Responsibility Area that burned nearly 148,000
acres. This is over 1,170 more wildfires this year than normal. In the Mendocino Unit, CAL FIRE responded to 136 wildfires that charred approximately 248 acres.
During the cooler winter months, CAL FIRE will be focusing efforts on the implementation of fire prevention and fuels treatment activities as guided by the State’s Strategic Fire Plan and localized Unit fire plans. These activities are aimed at reducing the impacts of large, damaging wildfires and improving overall forest health.
Residents are urged to still take precautions outdoors in order to prevent sparking a wildfire. A leading cause of wildfires this time of year is from escaped landscape debris burning. Before you burn, ensure it is a permissive burn day by contacting the Mendocino County Quality Air Management District and then make sure you have any and all required burn permits. For more information regarding burning regulations go to the MCQAMD web site at www.mendoair.org or call the District office at (707) 463-4354. Recorded Burn Day status is available 24/7 on the Burn Information Line at (707) 463-4391.
During burning, make sure that piles of landscape debris are no larger than four feet in diameter, provide a 10 ft. clearance down to bare mineral soil around the burn pile and ensure that a responsible adult is in attendance at all times with a water source and a shovel.
For more ways to prevent sparking a wildfire visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.
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Mendocino Unit
CAL FIRE NEWS RELEASE
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection