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Board approves prescribed burns and wildfire‑prevention grants aimed at protecting Highway 41 corridors and critical infrastructure
Summary
County and Cal Fire officials outlined a set of prescribed burns and fuel‑reduction projects—including a major Highway 41 burn starting June 3 covering roughly 240 acres—and the board approved related agreements and grant‑funded projects to reduce wildfire risk and protect evacuation routes.
Cal Fire and county officials told the Board of Supervisors on June 2 that a coordinated program of prescribed burns and fuel‑reduction projects will begin this month to reduce the risk of large wildfires and protect critical infrastructure and evacuation routes in eastern Madera County.
Mariposa County operations chief Larry Pendarvis and Cal Fire staff introduced managers who described planned operations: a Highway 41 burn beginning June 3 (initial phases cover roughly 104 acres in the Tesoro section, with a larger plan of about 240 acres in two nights and potential expansion up to ~255 acres), a North Fork Water Treatment Plant burn scheduled June 5 (54 acres), a Minarets High School area burn planned for June 15 (24 acres), and collaborative roadside burns with PG&E later in the year.
Cal Fire emphasized objectives including reducing roadside ignitions, establishing fuel breaks in strategic areas, safeguarding ingress and egress and protecting cultural and natural resources. Staff said they are using EBAM (weather and emissions monitoring) systems to track smoke dispersion, and they are conducting government‑to‑government consultation with local tribes as part of the CEQA and cultural‑resource review process.
The board voted to approve the prescribed burns program and related grant agreements and budget adjustments, and members thanked staff for collaboration with Fire Safe Councils, tribal partners, county emergency services, PG&E, Caltrans and local law enforcement. Officials said burns and fuel‑reduction work will continue as part of multi‑year wildfire prevention efforts and will require ongoing community coordination.
