Los Padres National Forest conducts controlled burn in San Luis Obispo county

LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — On Wednesday Apr. 5th a controlled burn was conducted by fire crews at Los Padres National Forest in the San Luis Obispo area of Pozo.

The National Forest says the controlled burns will happen from Apr. 5-7 in an effort to reduce accumulation of dead and decadent materials on the ground that are deemed unhealthy to the forest.

Since recent rain stopped favorable weather conditions have enabled the National Forest to conduct controlled fires.

The United States Department of Agriculture says the practice of conducting prescribed fires helps wildlife and local communities.

According to Forestry branch Chief Frankie Romero, there are benefits to controlled burns.

"Where there are healthy forests there also tends to be thriving wildlife,” said Romero. “In some places, deer may prefer to eat younger brush and shrubs because of its palatability or nutrition. So, one common objective for a prescribed fire might be to clear older brush in order to increase the availability of younger vegetation that certain wildlife prefer.”

For more information contact Public Affairs Officer Andrew Madsen of the Los Padres NF at (805) 961-5759.