Rx Burns Planned for Thursday in Feather River Ranger District
Fire crews to ignite 53 acres of machine and hand piles near La Porte, American House, Strawberry Valley, and Little Grass Valley Reservoir
LA PORTE, Calif. — Firefighters on the Plumas National Forest’s Feather River Ranger District plan to carry out several prescribed pile burns on Wednesday, treating approximately 53 acres across four locations, officials announced Tuesday. The operations will begin November 19, conditions permitting, and are designed to reduce wildfire fuels and improve forest health.
Three of the burn sites are located along or near La Porte Road, where crews plan to ignite:
35 acres of large machine piles in the Gibsonville area
5 acres of hand piles near American House, within the Valley Creek Project area
12 acres of machine piles in Strawberry Valley
A fourth machine pile burn is scheduled near Little Grass Valley Reservoir, behind the RV Dump Station on Forest Road 22N57 on the east side of the recreation area.
Smoke & Travel Impacts Expected
Smoke will be visible in the area but is not expected to create significant long-term impacts for nearby communities, including La Porte, American House, Strawberry Valley, and Challenge. However, short-duration smoke may affect La Porte Road and neighboring forest roads, particularly during the early morning and evening hours as smoke settles.
If conditions warrant, traffic controls may be used to maintain safe visibility for drivers.
People sensitive to smoke—especially in lower areas like American House and Strawberry Valley—are encouraged to monitor local air quality and take precautions as necessary.
In addition, residents and visitors should expect increased fire equipment traffic, including engines and support vehicles entering and exiting area roads.
Safety & Monitoring
Forest officials remind the public to stay alert when traveling through the project zones, watch for personnel working along roadways, and prepare for brief delays or reduced visibility.
If winds increase or weather conditions become unfavorable, ignitions will stop until crews determine it is safe to resume. Firefighters will continue monitoring conditions throughout the operation.
For more information about the Plumas National Forest, visit the Forest Service website at fs.usda.gov/plumas or the forest’s official Facebook page.