California residents are advised to prepare for particularly challenging wildfires this summer. Hot weather is drying out the landscape, with earlier snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada and dry grass in Northern California increasing fire risks. Forecasters say the expected high temperatures are raising concerns about more large wildfires, and even small sparks could escalate quickly. So you know, California, wildfires are now a threat year-round, however peak season runs from June to October.
CAL FIRE and the Lake County Fire Protection responded to a vegetation fire yesterday near Sky High Ridge Road and Morgan Valley Road to the east of Lower Lake. It burned an acre or so before forward progress was stopped. Several engines and dozers along with two hand crews, a helicopter and three fixed wing aircraft responded to the fire.
If you like great food, wine and other spirits, mark the date: June 28 is Taste Mendocino, a celebration of Mendocino County’s top wine and spirits producers. It’s hosted by Mendocino Winegrowers along with Visit Mendocino, Visit Ukiah, and the Blue Zones Project. You’ll get to taste local wines and spirits paired with regional cuisine. The Mendocino Voice says twenty producers will be there including Bonterra Organic Estates, Frey Vineyards, Alta Orsa, Seawolf, McNab Ridge, Husch Vineyards, Greenwood Ridge, Barra of Mendocino, Schnaubelt and Boonville Distilleries. It’s next Saturday at the Wyndham Garden Inn in Redwood Valley. Tickets are available at https://tastemendo.com/
Due to the increased fire danger from the heat and dead grass, Cal Fire suspended all residential outdoor burn permits in Colusa, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, and Yolo counties. The ban went into effect Monday. This includes burning of landscape debris like branches and leaves.
Meanwhile in Lake County, a separate annual burn ban has been in effect since May 1, enforced by the Lake County Air Quality Management District. Cal Fire wants residents to create defensible space, focusing on Zone 0 (the first 5 feet around a home) and clear vegetation out to 100 feet where possible. Lake County News says restricted permits, granted on a temporary basis, may be issued if burning is essential for public health or safety.
Cal Fire is conducting a prescribed burn at Shamrock Ranch near Laytonville tonight, targeting about 10 acres of grasslands, chaparral, and understory vegetation. The burn, which is part of ongoing efforts since October, supports the California Fire Plan and Wildfire Resilience Action Plan. A heads up. You may see smoke and firefighting aircraft, including from the 101. The Mendocino Voice says tonight’s burn, weather permitting, is set for 6 p.m. to midnight.
A new program led by the cannabis industry aims to reduce sediment and restore watersheds in Northern California. That’s according to the nonprofit Cannabis for Conservation (CFC). So you know, it’s backed by a grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The three-year initiative, Sediment Reduction on Cannabis Farms in Priority Northern Watersheds, will fund 557 projects across 41 watersheds that feed into the Eel, Mad, Trinity, and Mattole rivers. The program targets areas affected by cannabis cultivation and rural development to improve local habitat and environmental health. The Mendocino Voice says the CFC grant was awarded through the CDFW’s Cannabis Restoration Grant Program, which gets its money from cannabis tax revenue.
