San Andreas, CA…January 19, 2018 – Recent rains and cooler temperatures across the region have lowered the threat of wildfires allowing CAL FIRE’s Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit to transition out of peak fire season effective Monday, January 22, 2018 at 8:00 a.m. in Tuolumne, Calaveras and the eastern portions of San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties.
“This has been an unprecedented year with the peak fire season carrying over into the next calendar year” said Unit Chief Josh White. “We would like to thank our residents and visitors for helping to keep the number of wildfire ignitions low. I would also like to thank all of our firefighters and our federal, state and local firefighters for their dedication, professionalism and hard work.”

CAL FIRE will continue to maintain staffing to meet any potential threat, as well as maintaining the ability to strategically move resources to areas that remain at a higher threat level. CAL FIRE will also continue to monitor weather conditions closely and still has the ability to increase staffing should weather conditions change or if there is a need to support wildfires or other emergencies in other areas of the State.

The 2017 fire season has been an extremely active year, even more so than in 2016. Statewide, CAL FIRE and firefighters from many local agencies responded to over 6,000 wildfires within the State Responsibility Area that burned nearly 505,000 acres. In the Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit, CAL FIRE responded to 250 wildfires that charred 1,933 acres.

During the cooler winter months, CAL FIRE will continue to actively focus efforts on fire prevention and fuels treatment activities as guided by the State’s Strategic Fire Plan and localized Unit fire plans. These will be done through public education, prescribed burns and various types of fuel reduction. These activities are aimed at reducing the impacts of large, damaging wildfires and improving overall forest health.

Residents are urged to still take precautions outdoors in order to prevent sparking a wildfire. A leading cause of wildfires this time of year is from escaped landscape debris burning. Before you burn, ensure it is a permissive burn day by contacting the local air quality district and make sure you have and all required APCD burn permits.

For more ways to burn safely visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org. Follow us on Twitter: @CALFIRETCU and on Facebook @CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit www.fire.ca.gov

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