BLM plans controlled burn at Cosumnes River Preserve along Interstate 5
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EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. – Motorists should be aware that the Bureau of Land Management Mother Lode Field Office will be conducting a controlled burn of up to 45 acres at the Cosumnes River Preserve along U.S. Interstate 5 near the town of Galt in Sacramento County. The prescribed burn is scheduled to begin the week of May 3, but timing will depend on weather and air quality conditions.
Smoke may be visible from U.S. Interstate 5 as well as from the communities of Galt, Thornton and Herald. California Department of Transportation will post signs along the Interstate to alert drivers of the prescribed fire taking place near the roadside. Motorists should never drive into smoke or stop along the roadway during burn operations.
The BLM is committed to keeping public landscapes healthy and productive. The BLM, in partnership with local fire departments, will use this prescribed fire treatment to remove noxious weeds and reduce grasses that could fuel wildland fires. The exact timing of the prescribed fire will depend on temperature, wind and relative humidity and is being closely coordinated with the Sacramento Metro Air Quality District.
The Cosumnes River Preserve consists of more than 50,000 acres of wildlife habitat and agricultural lands owned and managed by the Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Water Resources, California State Lands Commission, Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and Sacramento County Regional Parks. The preserve is centered along the Cosumnes River, and its floodplains and riparian habitat are buffered by a variety of agricultural operations. The habitat supports wildlife, including birds that migrate throughout the Pacific Flyway. The preserve also provides numerous social, economic, and recreational benefits to local communities and residents of the larger Sacramento and San Joaquin areas.
For more information, please call the Mother Lode Field Office at 916-941-3101.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.