Prescribed burn will send smoke over Sonoma County, says Cal Fire

Smoke will visible throughout most of Sonoma County Wednesday from a 17-acre prescribed burn on Sonoma Mountain, according to an announcement from Cal Fire officials.

The burn is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Mitsui Ranch, a property owned by the Sonoma Mountain Preserve Foundation at the top of the mountain.

Cal Fire officials have issued a permit for the burn, which is being managed by Fire Forward, a prescribed burning program through the environmental nonprofit Audubon Canyon Ranch.

The burn is targeting the removal of invasive plants on the site, according to Cal Fire officials.

Managers will monitor weather conditions throughout the burn to ensure it is a low-intensity fire, according to the Cal Fire announcement.

The burn will be stopped if the temperature rises above 95 degrees, wind speeds exceed 10 mph or relative humidity falls below 20%, the announcement said.

In addition to removing invasive plants, the benefits of low-intensity fire include reducing the size and frequency of wildfires, clearing dead vegetation, eliminating diseased plants and promoting new plant growth, according to Cal Fire officials.

You can reach Staff Writer Matt Pera at matthew.pera@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @Matt__Pera.