Smoke from Angel Island burn drifts over Richmond

Smoke from a prescribed burn at Angel Island State Park drifted over Richmond Tuesday afternoon, prompting the city to issue an alert informing residents that there was no emergency.

The city sent a Nixle alert at 3:28 p.m. advising residents not to call 911 to report the smoke.

California State Parks is conducting the burn with CAL FIRE and the Marin County Fire Department. The burn can cover up to 260 acres of the island.

The prescribed burn was planned in coordination with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to minimize smoke impacts on surrounding communities, according to State Parks. Burning is dependent on weather and air conditions that allow smoke to disperse.

But the smoke appeared to have a greater impact on West County than expected.

Contra Costa County Supervisor John Gioia, who also serves on the board of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, told Grandview Tuesday, "There is a prescribed burn and it is having a greater impact on West County that may have been anticipated. Weather can impact this."

On social media, Gioia said the fire has caused a high level of harmful Particulate Matter (PM) in West Contra Costa County.

"I'm in contact with Bay Area Air District on this to see what steps can be taken to mitigate this unhealthy situation," Gioia said.

Gioia said he was told the burn's smoke was originally forecast to blow out over the Golden Gate. Winds shifted at the last minute, he said, sending the smoke into West Contra Costa County instead.

State Parks said Bay Area residents could see smoke from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on burn days, with some smoke potentially visible for up to three days after ignition.

The burn is intended to reduce fuel loads in grasslands and coastal scrub on Angel Island, while also supporting vegetation management, invasive plant control and wildlife habitat.

State Parks advised people who smell smoke to limit their time in smoky areas.

The island will remain open during burn days, although some trails and roads near the burn area will be closed for one to three days during and after the burn.