Body of News Release
Marin County, CA – A prescribed burn may take place next week beginning Monday, October 19 near Bon Tempe Reservoir on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed as part of a continued effort to complete critical vegetation management work on the mountain. Burn planners ask the community to refrain from calling 9-1-1 to report smoke from the burn area allowing dispatchers to remain available for emergencies.
Marin County Fire will manage the prescribed fire operations in coordination with Marin Water, who manages the watershed lands where the burns will occur. The burn is planned for the Lagunitas Meadow and Pine Point area near the Bon Tempe Reservoir along Alex Forman Trail and Pumpkin Ridge Trail and may cover up to 25 acres. The prescribed burn may continue for additional days, if needed, to complete work in the planned area.
During the potential upcoming burn operation, the Alex Foreman trail through the interior of Pine Point, Pumpkin Ridge Trail between Fish Grade and Redwood Turn, and Pine Point Trail will be closed. Sky Oaks Road will remain open but may be subject to short delays due to smoke and temporary lane closures as fire engines patrol the adjacent burn perimeter. Visitors are required to heed the closure signs.
The date and size of the planned burn activity are tentative, as all burn operations are dependent on favorable weather, fuel conditions, and air quality to ensure safe execution and minimize smoke impacts on the surrounding communities. If planners decide to change the burn date based on key fire behavior factors, Marin County Fire and Marin Water will update local media and the public through both agencies’ social media channels, including Facebook, X, Instagram, and Nextdoor.
An SMS notification will also be sent to AlertMarin subscribers who have opted in to receive prescribed burn informational notices. To update your AlertMarin settings to receive these communications, visit Emergency.MarinCounty.gov, click "sign up for emergency alerts," log in to your AlertMarin account and select “Prescribed Burns.” Details about prescribed burns can also be found on the County of Marin Emergency Portal.
Although operations will strictly adhere to the requirements of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the surrounding community may smell or see smoke. Community members should refrain from calling 9-1-1 to report this smoke to avoid overwhelming emergency dispatch lines. The burn will be performed by Marin County firefighters, and active patrols and mop-up of the area will continue for at least several hours following the burns.
This multi-agency effort wields an important tool in a proactive approach to fire fuel management and a more resilient, ecologically healthy forest and watershed. Prescribed burns are part of the stewardship of biodiverse, fire-adapted ecosystems and are carefully planned to meet strict criteria for ecological benefit, weather parameters, smoke management, and fire safety guidelines.