Controlled burn planned Controlled burn planned (August 10, 2005)

Nebulous clouds of gray gathering near the coast this weekend may be smoke, not fog. A controlled burn, as part of a wildfire training exercise, is scheduled for the Peninsula Open Space Trust's Cloverdale Ranch near Pescadero on August 13 and 14.

If the burn goes as planned, about 50 acres of the property will be scorched, according to Angela Petersen, a California Department of Forestry spokeswoman..

More than 70 firefighters, including some from the La Honda Fire Brigade, are expected to participate in wildland fire training exercises and drills.

"This training will provide firefighters with valuable experience in preparation for this year's fire season," said John Sims, a division chief with CDF/San Mateo County Fire.

Besides training firefighters, the burn should clear out non-native grasses, leaving room for native perennial grasses and wildflowers to take hold. A prescribed burn on an additional 160 acres of Cloverdale Ranch is planned for later this year.

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