From the Slice, February 6, 2014

Post date: Jul 7, 2014 5:39:38 PM

Burn Ban lifted

BD-FSC pile burning next week between Crest Ranch and Ben Lomond Camp.

This morning CAL FIRE lifted the outdoor burning ban, see the attached press release (and maybe release pile stomping teens).

Please note several things:

1) You still need to follow the CAL FIRE and Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District [MBUAPCD] regulations. In particular, it must be safe to burn: no high winds, water available at the fire, fire attended at all times, fire out - cold & wet - by 4 pm. Your burn must be clean - fuel dry, piles small. You must have a burn permit from MBUAPCD, free on their website www.mbuapcd.org or call 647-411. MBUAPCD must declare a burn day for you to burn; check at air.mbuapcd.org or call 1-800-CAL-BURN (1-800-225-2876). As of this moment, the burn status website hasn't been updated since the burn ban started, but they tell me that it will be updated tonight and going forward.

2) Most of Bonny Doon above Smith Grade is in burn status zone 33, below Smith Grade is zone 31, while much of Alba is in the San Lorenzo Valley Smoke Sensitive Area so further restrictions apply.

3) There is no guarantee that the blocking ridge of high presssure and dry weather won't return, so the burn ban could well return with it.

With the burn ban lifted, the Bonny Doon Fire Safe Council will resume pile burning next week (in so far as MBUAPCD allows and volunteer monitors for the crews are available) in the Cotoni Fuel Break between Crest Ranch and the Ben Lomond Camp. We will try to post notifications late afternoon/early evening the day before we burn.