If you notice a whiff of woodsmoke in the air around Redding this week, it’s likely from a prescribed burn scheduled for Whiskeytown National Recreation Area.
The 226-acre Buck fire is planned for an overgrown area in the park’s southeast section, weather conditions permitting.
“The south side of the park is thick with dense pockets of brush and many small-diameter trees,” said Superintendent Jim Milestone. “This burn will help to reduce the heavy fuels.”
Firefighters will encircle the burn area, then a helicopter will ignite the fire in the interior. Trails in the area, including the Salt Creek Loop Trail, will be closed, and traffic may be controlled by firefighters along Mule Town Road.
For more information, call Whiskeytown’s Fire Management Office at 242-3443.
- The weather should be cooperative. We’re expecting a high of 73 in Redding today, with light winds, but a change is on the way. A big storm hitting the Pacific Northwest will drag its toes across Northern California on Thursday, bringing clouds and a chance of showers through the weekend.
- Don’t let a little possible rain frighten you away from Saturday’s Autumn Bike Fest at Turtle Bay Exploration Park. The FREE event, which runs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will include films about bicycling, several local cycling groups and other two-wheeler fun. Ride your bike to the event, and get $3 off park admission. For more info, click here.
- Farallon Food Court: Since “Jaws,” we’ve all been fascinated by great white sharks, and a new study finds that the coastal area around the Golden Gate is a hot “neighborhood” for Pacific sharks. Great whites feed on the large seal and sea lion populations in the Farallon Islands and up to Point Reyes. The scientists, who used acoustical technology to track the sharks, said a few sharks even swam under the Golden Gate Bridge. Probably waiting for yummy jumpers. For the full, fascinating story, click here.
- Headline of the Day: From the always-funny fake-news site, The Onion, we get this headline: Report: Majority of Newspapers Now Purchased by Kidnappers to Prove Date. The full “story” is hilarious, in a sad-clown sort of way. Click here.
- What I’m Reading: “Inherent Vice” by Thomas Pynchon. The mysterious Pynchon writes a private eye novel, set in the heady late 1960s. Fun so far.
Tips appreciated: Send news tidbits to steveb.anewscafe@gmail.com.
