California State Parks Continues Pile Burning Through April 2025
California State Parks will continue burning piles in various State Parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties. This work will be dependent on dry weather and conditions that will facilitate smoke dispersal. Burning will continue as it is safe, through April 2025. Over the next six weeks, approximately 250 burn piles will be burned throughout The Forest of Nisene Marks State Park, Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park (Fall Creek Unit), Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Castle Rock State Park, and Portola Redwoods State Park.
Below is more information on the prescribed burns:
- Pile burning will be monitored until piles are cold and extinguished.
- Burning will continue as conditions allow until the pile burning season ends.
- Ignitions are scheduled to occur between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. for all burns.
Smoke may be visible in the vicinity of the parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo and Counties during the pile burning. Monitoring and patrol will occur throughout this period and extend into the evening and weekend as required. All burning is dependent on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable for smoke dispersal and to meet ecological goals. If conditions are not conducive for burning, burns will be rescheduled. These burns are respectively permitted, planned, and coordinated with the Monterey Bay Air Quality Management District and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in order to minimize smoke impacts to surrounding communities.
Pile burning is a part of fuel reduction projects in these parks and helps to alleviate extreme fire behavior in the event of a wildfire. These projects improve emergency access, foster forest health, and enhance biodiversity.
To better inform the public on prescribed burns and other fire operations taking place in State Parks’ Santa Cruz District, which includes all state parks in Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties, please follow the Santa Cruz Prescribed Fires webpage: parks.ca.gov/santacruzprescribedburns