‘Prescribed burn’ smokes up Sonoma Valley

A prescribed 90-acre burn in the southern Sonoma Valley unexpectedly sent an alarming flow of smoke throughout the area and into Napa on Wednesday. 

“The predicted conditions – the way the smoke was flowing — changed during the operation,” said Wendy Coy of Audubon Canyon Ranch, whose Fire Forward program coordinated the burn.

“Once we saw that smoke was not flowing in a way we expected, we concluded firing activities and focused on completing the burn,” she said. “Unfortunately, folks in the valley were already experiencing that change.”

The location of the managed fire was Donnell Ranch, at 27235 Arnold Drive (Hwy.  121), about a mile past Sonoma Raceway.

The burn itself went well and met the objectives of reducing fuel loading and invasive grasses within the oak woodland, Coy told The Sun.

The smoke flow was unfortunate and not as predicted, she said.

The burn was planned, permitted by Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and done in partnership with others. Yesterday’s burn included support from several local fire agencies.

 There was much complaining on social media about prior notification. But Coy says there was plenty of advance word about the event. 

“Our press release went to all local print, radio, and broadcast media, local government (City of Sonoma), three county supervisors, local fire agencies, REDCOM, Watch Duty, and our own social media,” she said. “The landowners we partnered with may have also shared on Next Door and directly with their neighbors.”

For its part, The Sun shared this item online and Facebook.