Intent to conduct a 21-acre controlled burn at Pepperwood near Santa Rosa Sunday, October 30, 2022*

October 28, 2022 – Santa Rosa, CA – Pepperwood announced today plans to conduct a 21-acre controlled burn at Pepperwood’s reserve near Santa Rosa, Sonoma County on Sunday, October 30 in support of Pepperwood’s effort to steward and restore native grasslands and oak woodlands on the reserve.

*This controlled burn is subject to change depending on conditions.

Pepperwood is located off Mark West Springs Rd. in eastern Sonoma County between Santa Rosa and Calistoga. The anticipated time for the controlled burn is 11:00 AM through 5:00 PM. The burn will be conducted by prescribed fire managers from Pepperwood as well as Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Fire Forward program and crew from the Good Fire Alliance – Sonoma County’s all-volunteer prescribed fire association. Crew will continue to monitor the site throughout the night.

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**Smoke and Traffic Advisory**

The controlled burn will commence as early as 11:00 a.m. and conclude around 5:00 p.m. There may be smoke in the air for approximately 8 hours. Travelers in the Santa Rosa/Calistoga/Windsor area will see smoke in the air, fire on the ridge, or experience slowing traffic.

This is a permitted controlled burn; do not call 911.

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Pepperwood is located on the ancestral home of the Wappo people, past, present, and future. The ~2,130-acre reserve teems with montane native grasslands, oak woodlands, pristine ponds and streams, and the farthest inland reach of coastal redwoods.

The 21-acre unit targeted for prescribed burning is in oak woodland with patches of grassland. The burn will aid in the restoration and conservation of these habitats.

Learn more about Pepperwood at https://www.pepperwoodpreserve.org