Prescribed fire a key tool in reducing wildfire risk
Redding, CA Jan. 23, 2026 — The Shasta-Trinity National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations this Saturday, January 24, 2026. We estimate this work to continue through Friday, January 30, 2026, as weather conditions allow and pending all required approvals.
We use prescribed fires to reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.
Prescribed fires planned for the area include:
- Hayfork RD: Pilot hand piles, near Hayfork (150 acres)
- Shasta Lake RD: Interstate 5 (Skyline) Pile Rx, multiple sites along Interstate 5 between Packers Bay and Antlers Bridge (190 acres)
- Weaverville RD: Haylock hand piles, near Trinity Lake (150 acres); Lake Forest Plantations/Kinney Camp piles, near Mule Creek (150 acres)
Those areas may close to the public for several days for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.
Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road.
We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled.
Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website, social media channels, and InciWeb, the interagency incident information system. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.
