Redwood National and State Parks plans to conduct a series of prescribed burns this Fall in the prairies and and oak woodlands in the Bald Hills, East of Orick. The prescribed fire season has already begun. The prescribed burns will occur, weather permitting.
The Park will use fire as a management tool in five specific burn units, over 1,364 acres.
For thousands of years, Yurok, Tolowa, Chilula and Hupa people have managed prairies and oak woodlands, and some coastal areas that are now within the Parks, with periodic fire using traditional culture techniques and science. Intentional burning provided grazing and hunting areas for elk and deer, maintained important resources like tanks trees and various basket weaving materials, kept trail and travel corridors open, and left and lessened the prevalence of parasites like ticks in the prairies.