Cal Fire planning pile burns along Empire Grade

Cal Fire has advised campus officials that state fire crews in the coming weeks will begin burning vegetation piles they have assembled along Empire Grade. The burns could start as early as this week, providing it is a permissive burn day.

The piles are between the Cave Gulch neighborhood and Twin Gates. All piles will be extinguished before Cal Fire leaves the area.

Pile burns are tightly controlled, and typically produce less smoke prescribed burns. However, persons susceptible to smoke are advised of possible air-quality concerns in the immediate area and in parts of campus when the burns occur. If you are affected by air-quality issues, avoid the area.

Santa Cruz County has been fortunate not to experience a major wildland fire in recent years, but fires throughout California this past fall remind us that we all must do our part to prevent them. That includes controlling vegetation on and around campus. The pile burns are part of that effort.

For more information, please visit our wildland fire resource page online.