San Rafael-area residents may see or smell smoke from Mount Tamalpais as Marin County Fire prepares two prescribed burns in the watershed this week.
Residents should not call 9-1-1 solely to report smoke from the planned burns, fire officials said.
Marin County Fire may burn up to 79 acres of overgrown vegetation south of Sky Oaks Ranger Station on Tuesday, Aug. 25, with a second burn of up to 44 acres planned near Bon Tempe Reservoir on Wednesday, Aug. 26, according to Marin Water.
Together, the two operations could treat up to 123 acres. Both dates are tentative and depend on weather, fuel conditions and air quality. The burns may continue on additional days if crews need more time to complete the work.
Road closures
During burn operations, the Bon Tempe Parking Lot, Bon Tempe Road and Bon Tempe Channel Road North will be closed.
Sky Oaks Road will remain open but may see short delays and temporary lane closures as fire engines patrol the burn perimeter.
Who's running the burns
Marin County Fire is managing the prescribed fire operations in coordination with Marin Water, which manages the watershed land where the burns will occur.
Funding comes in part from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's Forest Health Program.
The agencies said the operations will follow Bay Area Air Quality Management District requirements, though surrounding communities may still see or smell smoke. Patrols and mop-up will continue for several hours after each burn.
How to stay informed
If schedules change, Marin County Fire and Marin Water will post updates on Facebook, X, Instagram and Nextdoor.
AlertMarin subscribers who opted in for prescribed burn notices will receive a text alert. Residents can update their settings at Emergency.MarinCounty.gov by selecting "sign up for emergency alerts," logging in and choosing "Prescribed Burns."
The burns come days after San Rafael Fire Department crews were clearing standing dead broom and invasive brush in the San Rafael-San Anselmo Fuel Reduction Zone on Aug. 20, using a mulch-in-place technique as part of the city's wildfire mitigation work.
