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Press release from the California Department of Parks and Recreation:

EUREKA – California State Parks, in cooperation with CAL FIRE and other local partners, is planning to begin a series of prescribed burns in Prairie Creek Redwoods and Humboldt Redwoods State Parks this fall, weather-permitting. Starting as early as mid-September, smoke and flames may be visible from Newton B. Drury Parkway in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park and Mattole Road at Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Though smoke may be visible, it should not be a cause for alarm. Do not call 911 to report fire activity or smoke in the burn area.

Below is more information on the planned prescribed burns, as conditions allow:

• Around 90 acres at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.
• Potentially several hundred acres at Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

Prescribed burns are designed to maintain natural prairies by enhancing vegetation management, reducing wildfire fuel loads in the forests, and increasing wildfire resilience. These proactive measures not only protect park infrastructure but also significantly reduce the chance of catastrophic wildfire, help care for natural habitat, and foster a safer environment for both the park and neighboring communities.

Prescribed burns are part of an ongoing resource management program designed to maintain prairie grasslands, enhance forage for wildlife, control invasive plant species, return fire as a natural process to the redwoods, and maintain old-growth forests for generations to come. State Parks is collaborating with local tribes to reintroduce fire as a land management tool while also supporting revitalization of traditional cultural practices on their ancestral lands.