Prescribed burning activities planned near Glen Ellen, May 14, 2025

Oak grassland along Bennett Valley Road will undergo prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risk and benefit native habitat.

Sonoma Land Trust plans to conduct a 12-acre prescribed burn at Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools on Wednesday, May 14, as part of a land management strategy that will build resilience against wildfire and benefit native habitat in the Sonoma Valley. This is a permitted burn; please avoid calling 9-1-1 to report smoke and fire in the area. Roadway signage will be posted.

Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools Preserve
8301 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa
Between Keiser Ranch Road and Enterprise Road
Burn unit: 12 acres of oak savannah with an understory of grass.
**This operation is subject to change depending on conditions. **

Ignitions may commence as early as 10 a.m., with firing operations concluding by 5 p.m. Residents traveling between Santa Rosa and Glen Ellen may see or smell smoke in the air for up to 10 hours. Travelers on Bennett Valley Road may notice smoke and experience slowing traffic. Children, older adults, and those with respiratory conditions should consider limiting outdoor
activities and using an air filter at home if local air quality is poor.

This prescribed burn will be conducted by prescribed fire managers from Sonoma Land Trust, with support from Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Fire Forward program, Sonoma County Regional Parks, the Good Fire Alliance, and Sonoma County’s prescribed burn association. The crew will manage the burn activities during the day and will patrol the unit until all heat has been extinguished.

Stay Informed:

• Information on when and where prescribed fires are happening is also available on the
  WatchDuty app: https://app.watchduty.org/
• Sign up for Sonoma Land Trust alerts at https://sonomalandtrust.org/prescribed-burns/

About Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools Preserve
The 175-acre Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools Preserve is located along Bennett Valley Road and is owned and managed by Sonoma Land Trust. Permanently protected in 2023, it is home to two vernal pools, mature oak woodlands, intact grasslands, and portions of Yulupa Creek. The goal of this prescribed burn is to improve the health of the oak and grassland ecosystems while reducing natural fuels and building resilience against wildfire.

Building wildfire resistance across the region
These activities contribute to regional stewardship goals developed by the Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative, comprised of Audubon Canyon Ranch, California State Parks, Mitsui Ranch Preserve, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Sonoma Ag + Open Space and Sonoma Land Trust. The Collaborative collectively owns and manages 20,000 acres in the Sonoma Valley and is focused on using prescribed fires that benefit native habitat and build wildfire resilience across the region.