When Scott Stephenson, Forestry Director of Placer County Resource Conservation District announced that pile‑burning treatments would kick off on December 21, 2023, residents of Foresthill, California braced for a few weeks of smoky skies. The operation, running through January 15, 2024, is meant to torch fire‑killed trees and brush left behind by the Mosquito Fire, which scorched nearly 77,000 acres and razed 78 structures in the region. While the effort promises faster reforestation, it also means neighbors may see or smell smoke, even though the District is coordinating with the Placer Air Pollution Control District to keep impacts low. Here’s why this matters to anyone who calls the Sierra foothills home.
Placer RCD Starts Pile‑Burning to Clear Mosquito Fire Debris in Foresthill
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