Smoke from Angel Island burn drifts over Richmond

Shifting winds brought smoke from a prescribed burn at Angel Island State Park over Richmond Tuesday afternoon, prompting the city to issue an alert informing residents that there was no local fire or emergency.

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

On social media, Gioia said the fire caused a high level of harmful Particulate Matter (PM) in the West Contra Costa County area, and another burn planned for Wednesday had been cancelled.

"Due to air quality issues, the Bay Area Air District has cancelled the prescribed burn that California State Parks, CalFIRE AND Marin County Fire had planned on Angel Island for Wednesday," Gioia said.

Gioia said he was told Tuesday's burn 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.

A prescribed burn, which can cover up to 260 acres of the island, 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.

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.

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.