A prescribed burn is set to begin today at the Point Arena–Stornetta Unit of the California Coastal National Monument. State and federal officials say the project is part of a broader effort to reduce wildfire risk and restore coastal prairie by thinning trees, removing hazards and applying targeted burns. Smoke may be visible from Highway 1 as crews work across the 1,665-acre site, which includes meadows, bluffs and habitat for rare species. The BLM says burn operations will continue into the spring when weather and fuel conditions are safe.