If you’ve been up to the park in the last couple of days you might have noticed a little smoke. No need to worry, it’s just a controlled burn taking place in the Hodgdon area (North side of the park). Controlled burns are common during cool, dry weather and help keep the forest healthy. Burning eliminates ground fuels that could cause catastrophic wildfires during the dry summer months while also allowing nutrients to reenter the soil.
“The Hodgdon Meadow fire area has had minimal fire history between 1930 and 1990, although natural fire history is evident with fire scars on several mature trees. Since 1990, a hazardous fuel reduction program has been implemented to protect private and public structures around the Hodgdon Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). The most recent projects were last summer with over 500 acres being treated. A mixture of fuel reduction techniques have been used including mechanical thinning, pile and prescribed burning. These WUI treatments have created defensible space for the Hodgdon residential area. This project will not only extend the defensible space, but will also provide larger safety zones for firefighters. It will also facilitate the reintroduction of fire into the ecosystem and restore the forest area. Combined with other prescribed fires near Crane Flat, and Rockefeller Grove areas, and with the fuel reduction projects conducted by the Stanislaus National Forest along Evergreen Road, this project will further reduce the likelihood of catastrophic fire originating at lower elevations, either inside or outside of the park affecting communities in mixed confer pine forest. Finally, this prescribed fire and others will provide larger safety zones for firefighter safety during future fires.” (NPS)
It’s considerably smokey around the fire so if you’re prone to breathing issues like I am, staying away from that general area is a good idea. Wawona, Tuolumne Meadows and Yosemite Valley are all great places to go where the smoke is having little or no impact. The burn is expected to be completed today.
Photo courtesy of NPS.