On the morning of May 14, 2024, smoke drifted into the sky on the northern side of Mount Diablo.
California State Parks personnel were conducting the park’s first prescribed burn in more than 20 years, and I had the privilege of being a part of the action.
Getting Ready to Join a Prescribed Fire Crew
For a few years, I had been working toward the goal of joining a prescribed burn crew.
Witnessing regeneration in the Diablo Range after the 2020 wildfires and learning how prescribed fire was becoming a respected land management tool fueled my desire to learn how to implement it effectively.
Haley Sutton at the controlled burn in Mount Diablo State Park in May 2024.
I completed extensive online coursework, passed a pack test to assess my physical capabilities, and attended an in-person training session to earn the Firefighter Type 2 (FFT2) qualification.
With this training, I was eligible to join the operations division of a prescribed burn. A few months later, I joined about 40 other trained practitioners to volunteer for the prescribed burns at Mount Diablo State Park.
The Prescribed Burn in Mitchell Canyon
The crew consisted of California State Parks staff from various districts, East Bay Regional Park District staff, Prescribed Burn Association (PBA) volunteers, and CAL FIRE personnel.
Everyone was passionate about their work and welcoming to those of us new to the fire line.
The burn boss was responsible for planning and executing the prescribed burn. He led the morning briefing and oversaw the entire operation.
The burn boss directed the two crews, Alpha and Zulu, each led by a boss who supervised a firing boss, a holding boss, and their respective crews.
Firing crew at Mitchell Canyon controlled burn. Photo by Haley Sutton
On the first day of the burn, I was part of the Zulu firing crew. Under the direction of our firing boss, I used a drip torch to ignite the fire on the ground.
The crew moved across the unit in a specific pattern, ensuring safety while considering topography and wind patterns. There was a concerted effort to direct the smoke away from the homes in the neighborhood north of the park.
On the second day, I joined the Alpha holding crew and was assigned to a truck with California State Parks staff.
The holding crew surrounded the unit, working to ensure the fire remained within control lines by monitoring the land outside the unit.
The prescribed fire advances through the non-native grasslands of Mount Diablo State Park. Photo by Haley Sutton
Once the entire unit had burned, we began mop-up, extinguishing any remaining burning material to prevent flare-ups.
We cut up and hosed down smoldering wood. Some crew members stayed overnight at the unit to ensure the fire was completely out.
Part of a Larger Park Goal: Burn Plan for 240 Acres
The 45 acres burned in May are part of a 240-acre burn plan for the Mitchell Canyon area in Mount Diablo State Park.
The burn objectives include removing built-up flashy fuels and invasive grasses, promoting biodiversity, and restoring the natural fire regime.
Before the crew arrived for the first day, Mount Diablo State Park staff and volunteers had completed extensive field preparations. They mowed and scraped fire breaks and removed or pruned tree branches.
Controlled burn at Mitchell Canyon. Photo by Haley Sutton
Environmental consultants surveyed the plots for rare and endangered plants and animals, which the crew learned about during the morning briefing.
The initial burn days targeted barbed goat grass and medusa head grass, both highly invasive species.
The intense controlled burn eradicated living plants while consuming the existing seed bank, which is hoped to encourage the growth of native plants—including endangered or endemic species—adapted to fire.
Photo by Haley Sutton
For more information about the burn plan, visit Mount Diablo State Park’s website about the prescribed burn.
It is exciting to witness the return of beneficial fire to Mount Diablo and an honor to be part of this momentous occasion for land conservation in our region.
