Press Releases

2024 Press Releases

11-19-24: yak tit?u tit?u yak ti?hini Northern Chumash Tribe Cultural Burn - Johnson Ranch Open Space Area

The SLO County Air Pollution Control District is issuing this press release, in coordination with CAL FIRE/San Luis Obispo County Fire Department, the City of San Luis Obispo, and yak tit?u tit?u yak ti?hini Northern Chumash Tribe of SLO Region and County to provide the public with information in preparation for a cultural burn at the Johnson Ranch Open Space property, located on Ontario Road in San Luis Obispo, west of Highway 101. The proposed 5-acre burn is set to occur November 22, 2024.

This cultural burn is an interagency operation hosted by yak tit?u tit?u yak ti?hini Northern Chumash Tribe with support from CAL FIRE/ San Luis Obispo County Fire Department and SLO City Fire. Indigenous Tribes of California have had a relationship with fire for over 10,000 years and recognize its role and responsibility to support life on the land. These cultural burns are controlled, often smaller burns, that are led by Indigenous fire practitioners for the purpose of revitalizing plants, reducing wildfire risk, enhancing habitat, and broadly maintaining Indigenous lifeways and native ecosystems. Similar to prescribed burns, cultural burns are an important tool used to minimize fire hazards and the likelihood of uncontrolled future wildfires that would have the potential to induce significant air quality impacts on the local community.

Smoke will be present in nearby communities on the day of the prescribed burn. The SLO County APCD will be working collaboratively with all involved agencies to ensure up-to-date air quality information is provided to the public.

Children, the elderly, and those that already have a respiratory condition are the most susceptible to the health impacts of smoke and should use caution if they smell smoke.

The burn is dependent on weather and air quality conditions that are favorable for smoke dispersal. If the conditions are not as desired, the burn may be rescheduled, or pushed later.

SLO County APCD will continue to closely monitor air pollution levels throughout the region. Visit the APCD website slocleanair.org/air-quality/air-forecasting-map.php to see current air quality conditions and forecasts for SLO County. Sign up to receive air quality text messages through our AirAware text notification system at https://www.slocleanair.org/air-quality-alerts.php

Other 2024 Press Releases

10-28-24: Better Breather Alert - Poor Air Quality Impacting the South County

10-1-24: Notice of Hearing & Public Workshop Air Pollution Control District Hearing Board

6-21-24: Camp SLO Fire Hazard Reduction Burn on June 24, 2024

6-12-24: yak tityu tityu yak tithini Northern Chumash Tribe Cultural Burn & Training - Johnson Ranch Open Space Area

5-20-24: Prescribed Fire Training Exchange - Cultural Burn and Training - Sequoia Riverlands Trust, California Valley

5-20-24: Yaro Prescribed Burn - May 20 through May 22

5-14-24: Camp Roberts Hazard Reduction and Training BUrns - May 25 through June 1, 2024

5-1-24: Notice of Vacancies - Hearing Board of the SLO County APCD

4-29-24: Yaro and Whitney CAL FIRE Prescribed Burns

4-24-24: SLO County APCD Countywide Clean Air Rooms Program

3-11-24: CAL FIRE Pile Burning 

3-1-24: CAL FIRE Pile Burning. 

2-29-24: Protecting Blue Whales and Blue Skies - 33 Global Shipping Companies Receive Awards for Reducing Speeds Off California to Protect Blue Whales and Blue Skies

2-27-24: CAL FIRE Pile Burning

2-14-24: CAL FIRE Pile Burning

2-12-24: CAL FIRE Pile Burning

1-30-24: SLO County Residents Get Up to $10,000 for Switching to Cleaner Burning Devices

1-15-24: Rocky Canyon and Behlman CAL FIRE Burn

Press Release Archives (2023 and older)

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