August 16, 1999

Fire crews scheduled to burn 61 acres of UCSC land

Annual controlled burn reduces fire hazard, encourages native plant regrowth

By Francine Tyler

UCSC firefighters, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), and other local crews are scheduled to burn approximately 61 acres in two meadows off Empire Grade road on Wednesday, August 18.

Most of the controlled burn is scheduled to take place in the Twin Gates area four miles up the road from the campus's main entrance, encompassing selected parts of Marshall Field on the east and west sides of the road. Another small meadow southeast of the main area will also be burned.

The burn is scheduled to start in midmorning and last until late afternoon. It may be canceled if fires in other areas of the state require attention, or if weather conditions move outside a prescribed safety window.

UCSC has scheduled similar controlled fires in the Marshall Field area over the past two years, said UC Santa Cruz Fire Chief Chuck Hernandez. These controlled burns have several benefits, he added. They help the campus lessen its risk from wildland fires by eliminating fuel that would feed such a fire. They provide training for firefighters. They also help the campus combat invasive plants--mostly European annual grasses--that have spread into the area, allowing native perennial grasses and other native meadow plants to flourish.

All of the designated burn area is on UCSC property. The west side of Marshall Field is part of the UCSC Natural Reserve.

Firefighters from UCSC, the City of Santa Cruz Fire Department, the Scotts Valley Fire Department, the CDF, and the California Youth Authority are expected to participate in the controlled burn.

For more information, call the UCSC Fire Department at (831) 459-3473.

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