Prescribed burning of approximately 343 acres of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, by the U.S. Forest Service, starts today.
The areas of the burns will be in two different locations in the Dog Valley area, west of Verdi, and west of Cold Springs.
On Friday, April 19th, Smoke will be visible in the Galena area, as they continue burning 37 acres in the Whites Creek area, off Mt. Rose Highway.
Prescribed fire notices will be posted near the project areas, and they will not be accessible to the public while burning is in progress.Â
The U.S. Forest Service advises this type of burn is the understory layer of the forest. The forest contains four layers of plant species, the emergent, canopy, understory, and forest floor.Â
According to California State University Stanislaus, the understory only receives about 5-10% of sunlight. Although raindrops are able to pass through the leafy tree canopies and contact the understory plants, it is difficult for these plants to obtain sunlight due to the thick structures of the canopies. The understory is warm, wet, and shaded in which plants have adapted to this specific environment. Â
The U.S Forest Service states that because the longleaf ecosystem evolved with and is adapted to frequent fire, every 2 to 8 years, prescribed burning is often useful for restoring understory communities to a diverse ground layer of grasses, herbs, and small shrubs.
The U.S Forest Service advised that smoke will be visible during burning. If you should see smoke coming from any of these areas, be advised fire is aware and they encourage you not to call 9-1-1.Â
