If You See Smoke: Fire Crews Burning Fuel Break Near School

LAMORINDA, CA — Fire crews from the Moraga-Orinda Fire District will be conducting a controlled burn starting Wednesday just north of Wagner Ranch Elementary School, launching a two-day effort to strengthen a key wildfire defense line.

Crews will burn pre-piled vegetation as part of ongoing maintenance of the North Orinda shaded fuel break, a strategic buffer designed to slow or stop the spread of wildfire. Officials said the work reduces excess vegetation that can intensify fire behavior during peak fire season.

Crews will conduct the controlled burn Wednesday and Thursday at a John Muir Land Trust property site. Operations will begin around 9:30 a.m. and continue until approximately 4:30 p.m. each day, officials said.

Fire district officials said the agency is coordinating the project with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Orinda Union School District, and the John Muir Land Trust to ensure safety and limit disruptions.

Fire officials will halt the burn if weather or air conditions worsen and will reschedule if necessary.

Residents in Orinda’s Monte Vista neighborhood, along with drivers on San Pablo Dam Road, Camino Pablo and Bear Creek Road, may see or smell smoke during the operation. The fire district will post updates on its Facebook page as conditions change.