Scanlan expresses concerns about recent burn at the old mill

It probably seemed like a great idea to most everybody in Susanville — a prescribed burn to clean up the vegetation near the old SPI Mill site.

But Supervisor-elect Mike Scanlan shared a different take on the prescribed burn as he expressed some concerns during public comment at the Lassen County Board of Supervisors Tuesday, Sept. 3 meeting.

Scanlan asked the board if the county knew in advance about the burn project he had been told was taking place on county property.

Richard Egan, Lassen County’s Administrative Officer, said the property is in the county, but it is privately owned.

“Some of that, I believe, knowing where the lines are, is within county jurisdiction, but privately owned property within county jurisdiction,” Egan said.

“I had a former mill employee come to me and explain that there’s so much fuel packed down — old bark, sawdust, fuel, asbestos pipes — a whole bunch of stuff,” Scanlan said. “All this stuff got burned at one time and is still burning, and according to him, it will continue to burn until we have significant rain. It’s burning underground, working its way under the bridge and toward the old drainage pond lined with cedar logs … That kind of a burn taking place in August in the height of fire season doesn’t seem like the wisest thing to do.”

Scanlan said residents downwind endured smoke and had cinders falling on their cars.

“This is insane to do this this time of year,” Scanlan said.

According to the statement from the city of Susanville, “This area is frequently plagued with nuisance fires during peak fire season causing dangerous conditions to the city’s residents and Susan River Walk users. The purpose of the project is to reduce the fuels available for fire starts prior to the onset of prolonged extreme heat and severe conditions that the area experiences during the summer months, the result will lessen the impacts from future unwanted fires to the nearby homes and infrastructure.”

So, CalFire, in cooperation with the Susanville Fire Department, the Susan River Fire Protection District and the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office began prescribed burning operations in the general area of the old mill site last week.

According to the statement from the city, burn operations began last week when conditions were favorable, and may be potentially ongoing for the next two weeks.