Moraga residents near Carroll Ridge will see smoke rising from the hillside Tuesday, July 21, as the Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District ignites a prescribed burn above Rheem Boulevard.

Fire crews will light the 3-acre burn at approximately 10 a.m. and expect to wrap up by 1 p.m., according to the district. The operation targets a stretch of ridge north of Rheem Boulevard near the Campolindo neighborhood, where MOFD is building and maintaining a strategic fuel break ahead of peak fire season.

A fuel break is a strip of land where vegetation has been reduced so wildfire cannot race across it unchecked. District officials said the breaks improve evacuation routes, give firefighters safer ground to work from during fast-moving fires, and help restore native grassland ecosystems.

The district is coordinating the Carroll Ridge operation with the Town of Moraga and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to minimize impacts on surrounding neighborhoods.

What residents should know

People living near Carroll Ridge, including the Campolindo area, should expect visible smoke and fire activity between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Officials recommend keeping windows and doors closed during the burn to limit smoke exposure. Motorists on Moraga Road and Rheem Boulevard may encounter smoky conditions during the same window.

The burn will proceed only if weather and fuel conditions remain favorable. If conditions shift, the district will postpone.

Part of MOFD's annual burn program

MOFD was designated a Fire Risk Reduction Community by the California Board of Forestry in both 2022 and 2024, recognizing its wildfire planning in a very high fire hazard severity zone. The Carroll Ridge operation is one piece of the district's annual prescribed-burn program, which has included large-scale burns such as a 150-acre operation at Painted Rock in August 2023 involving 130 personnel and 15 fire districts. Each prescribed fire follows a strict "go, no go" checklist coordinated with National Weather Service fire weather forecasters to time burns for minimal smoke impact on homes.

How to follow the operation

Residents can watch the Carroll Ridge burn live via an AlertCalifornia camera at cameras.alertcalifornia.org. Updates will be posted on the Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District's Facebook page and the Town of Moraga's social media channels.