The Coronaviris pandemic has had an impact on the Humboldt County PBA in 2020. While our area has largely been spared from a widespread outbreak, social distancing has been ordered since March 2020. But that hasn’t completely stopped PBA activity. Members did several days of oak woodland burning this winter on ranches near Bridgeville for a total of more than 100 acres.
Our Spring PBA general meeting was planned for May 8th, but cancelled due to COVID-19. A workshop on prescribed burning for foresters sponsored by UC Cooperative Extension on April 28 & 29, morphed into an online and zoom presentation. And the Klamath Fire Ecology Symposium was cancelled. It was planned in mid-June and was to include the Northern California Prescribed Fire Council meeting at Nordheimer Campground on the Salmon River. While these are setbacks for prescribed burning, some good things were also happening.
Our friends in Orleans were successful in getting some spring burning done. We encouraged folks to get their winter piles burned before the CAL FIRE burn permits were required on May 1st. This has also been a good time for people to work on burn planning. And burns can get done while maintaining appropriate social distancing.
The PBA board has a zoom meeting planned for mid-August. We shouldn’t expect an in-person General Meeting for a while, but the board will discuss options. If you are planning a burn, the PBA has equipment available. And we’re sure there are more than a few members that would like to get out and help you get it done. Keep following us on Facebook and on our website.