Arnold, CA…California State Parks and CAL FIRE plan to conduct prescribed burning within Calaveras Big Trees State Park starting Wednesday, October 11. All burning depends on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable for smoke dispersal. If weather or vegetation conditions are not conducive for burning, the department will reschedule the treatment.

Photo above: On a warm June day, California State Parks and CAL FIRE crews came together to show how a controlled burn can improve wildfire resiliency at Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Months of planning and shared commitments to this cherished Golden State landscape were on full display. Click above to view a video, where forestry and park experts explain why reintroducing fire to the giant sequoia landscape is important to the future of Calaveras Big Trees State Park.

The planned treatment will cover approximately 39 acres in the heart of the North Grove area of the state park. Visitors should expect significant closures during the prescribed burning, including North Grove Trail, Three Senses Trail, and Grove Overlook Trail. Closures will remain in effect until conditions favor reopening. Smoke will remain in the area for some time after active firing has stopped. California State Parks has prepared the unit for treatment.

The protection and stewardship of the giant sequoia groves has been a department priority since the park’s creation in 1931. Prescribed burning is part of State Park’s program for vegetation management to increase the resilience of the forest and promote new giant sequoia growth. Forest management and prescribed fire help restore and maintain a complex forest community, reduce hazardous fuel loads, improve wildlife habitat, restore nutrients to the soil, protect park infrastructure, and reduce the chance of a catastrophic wildfire.

This project is funded by the State of California through the Wildfire and Forest Resiliency Program (WFRP). WFRP expands on critical land management that California State Parks has been carrying out for decades and supports increasing the pace and scale of fuels treatments so that California’s State Park System can become an example of resilient ecosystems maintained through active stewardship.

Communities near Calaveras Big Trees State Park, including Arnold, Dorrington, Big Trees Village, White Pines, Blue Lake Springs, and Love Creek may experience smoke from the burning operations. Prescribed burns produce significantly less smoke than wildfires. The department plans and coordinates these burns with the Calaveras and Tuolumne County Air Districts to minimize the smoke in surrounding communities.

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Calaveras Big Trees State Park preserves two groves of giant sequoias – the world’s largest trees – in the North and South Groves. Established in 1931, the park offers a mixed-conifer forest (a variety of trees living together), as well as access to the Stanislaus River, Beaver Creek, ancient volcanic formations, and natural meadows. Trails throughout the park allow you to discover the natural beauty that has awed visitors to the area since 1852.

California State Parks and the recreational programs supported by its divisions of Boating and Waterways, Historic Preservation and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provide the opportunity for families, friends, and communities to connect. Off-highway motor vehicle recreation, boating activities, horseback riding, cycling, hiking, camping, rock climbing, tours, hikes, school group enrichment, and special events are just some of the activities enjoyed in 280 park units organized into 21 field districts throughout the state. Learn more at www.parks.ca.gov.