Novato Firefighters Conduct Controlled Burn

NOVATO, CA — Crews are conducting a controlled burn in Novato this week, officials said.

The burn will be held Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Tree Open Space Preserve above Wild Horse Valley, the Novato Fire District said.

Firefighters throughout the state are conducting controlled burns to create defensible space amid heightened concerns about wildfires.

Wildfires in 2020 torched a state record 4.2 million acres.

Concerns about wildfires are especially pronounced in Marin, a region parched by historic drought conditions.

Persistent warm, dry weather lowered Marin Water's reservoir storage capacity to 52 percent —the lowest level in nearly 40 years.

Storage levels for this time of year are typically more than 90 percent.

Much of the West Coast, including nearly all of California, is experiencing drought conditions.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, as of June 22, 94.8 percent of California is in a severe drought, 85.4 percent of the state is in an extreme drought and 33.2 percent of the state is experiencing "exceptional drought" conditions.