Prescribed Burns
The Army’s prescribed burn season for the former Fort Ord is now closed for 2018. The Army did not conduct a burn in 2018 because the required combination of weather conditions, fuel moisture, and fire management resources, to meet the burn prescription, did not occur. The burn prescription was developed as part of the Army’s commitment to minimize the impact of prescribed burns to the local community. The Fort Ord prescribed burn program will resume July 1, 2019, when weather conditions and resources align.
The Army’s prescribed burns at Fort Ord are being conducted as part of the munitions cleanup program. Burns are conducted to both encourage recovery of endangered fire dependent plant species and to facilitate continued munitions clean-up. To protect sensitive species, the prescribed burn season is limited in duration from July to December.
Direct notification will be provided by email, text, or autodialer telephone calls for those registered for the direct notification program.
The Army conducts prescribed burns to support the removal of unexploded munitions and explosives left over from the days when Fort Ord was used as a military training center.
The burn prescription was developed as part of the Army’s commitment to minimize the impact of prescribed burns to the local community. The Army’s prescribed burn program at Fort Ord is conducted as part of the munitions cleanup program. A burn encourages recovery of endangered fire dependent plant species and facilitates continued munitions clean-up. To protect sensitive species, the prescribed burn season is limited to summer and fall from July to December of each year.
How to find out when we’re going to burn.
The Army’s direct notification program provides messages when a prescribed burn is imminent. Enroll in the Direct Notification Program (Click Here) and choose from notifications by email, SMS text message, a phone call or a combination of all three. Messages are for mobilization, ignition, and completion. Note: Even if you registered in previous years, you must re-register this year.
Below are links to burn program reports and documents.
- Proposed Plan (Impact Area), June 2007
- Record of Decision, Impact Area Munitions Response Area, Track 3 Munitions Response Site
- Proposed Plan (Northern Portion of Fort Ord National Monument), April 2015
- Record of Decision, Final, Record of Decision, Track 2 Bureau of Land Management Area B and Munitions Response Site 16 (Northern Portion of the Fort Ord National Monument), May 2017
- Prescribed Burn Plan for Units 11 and 12 (Impact Area)
- Prescribed Burn Plan for Units 25 and 31 (Impact Area)
- Prescribed Burn Plan for Units A-C (Northern Portion of the Fort Ord National Monument)
Questions?
Call us at (831) 242-7383 or toll free 1-800-852-9699 for additional information.
Related Links
- Register for Direct Notification
- View an informational factsheet about the prescribed burn program
- Prescribed Burn Frequently Asked Questions (Impact Area Prescribed Burn: Unit 31)
- Prescribed Burn Frequently Asked Questions (Northern Portion of the Fort Ord National Monument Prescribed Burn: Unit A)
- How Smoke from Fires Can Affect Your Health (EPA Publication)
- Prescribed Burn Weather Outlook and Forecast (7-day look ahead)