A 7-acre prescribed burn is planned for Wednesday, October 23 at Monan’s Rill. The prescribed burn is intended to improve the health of native oak savanna and grasslands, reduce invasive species, and build resilience in the face of wildfire. Follow this burn on Watch Duty.
Smoke and Traffic Advisory
This prescribed burn will commence as early as 9 a.m. and conclude in the afternoon. Residents and travelers in the Calistoga, St Helena, and northwest Santa Rosa areas may see or smell smoke in the air for up to 10 hours. Travelers may notice smoke in the air for up to 10 hours. Travelers on Highway 101, Highway 128, and Highway 29 may see smoke in the air and experience slowing traffic. These are permitted prescribed burns; please avoid calling 9-1-1 to report smoke and fire in the prescribed areas.
Prescribed Fire Crew
The prescribed burn will be implemented over the course of a single day and will be directed by Audubon Canyon Ranch’s prescribed fire managers with support from local fire agencies. This cooperative burn will be conducted by prescribed fire practitioners from Fire Forward and Monan’s Rill, with support from Sonoma County Fire District, Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance, North Bay Jobs with Justice, Sonoma Land Trust, Pepperwood Preserve, and Good Fire Alliance. The crew will manage the burn activities during the day and the burn area will continue to be patrolled until all heat has been extinguished.
Tending a different relationship with burning in a fire corridor
Monan’s Rill is an intentional, intergenerational community in rural Sonoma County, California on the traditional territory and homelands of the Wappo people. The Rill introduced good fire to the land just prior to the 2020 Glass Fire moving through the entire community. “After the prescribed burn in 2019, everything looked so charred. Some of us had our doubts about whether this really was healthy for the land,” says resident Thea Maria Carlson in a Made Local Magazine article. “But the following spring, we saw wildflowers and other native plants newly showing up, and my perspective started to shift. After the wildfire, it was dramatic: the prescribed burn area was healthy and green while everything around it was intensely burned. I realized that putting fire on the land is what protected it from the wildfire—that is what solidified my commitment to good fire.”
This prescribed burn is intended to nurture diverse, multispecies, multigenerational ecosystems that will thrive in a changing climate, with a focus on native oaks and grasses. A reintroduction of regular good fire stewards the health and cultural benefits of the land and increases safety and resilience in the face of future wildfires. Through the use of good fire, Monan’s Rill intends to further cultivate ongoing relationships with the Wappo people, offering access to the land for cultural uses including harvesting and gathering, and respectfully integrating wisdom into land stewardship practices. Learn more at www.monansrill.org and @monansrill.
Reducing exposure to prescribed fire smoke
Children, older adults, and those with respiratory conditions should consider limiting outdoor activities and using an air filter at home if local air quality is poor. Learn when and where prescribed fires are happening by downloading the Watch Duty notification app and connecting on social media at @fire.forward and @auduboncanyonranch.
What to expect from a prescribed burn
It’s important to know why prescribed fires matter and why they’re conducted year-round. Learn more about what to expect from a prescribed burn from our partners at Sonoma Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, and CAL FIRE.
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