Over the remaining months of 2023, San Mateo County Parks will employ a new tool to reduce fire fuel in Memorial and Pescadero Creek parks and lessen wildfire risks in the area. In coordination with CAL FIRE and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Department will use an air curtain burner to dispose of an estimated 130 tons of logs and other woody debris left over from the Dark Gulch Stream Crossing Repair Project and other projects, as well as trees downed in the early 2023 winter storms.
An air curtain burner provides numerous environmental and logistical benefits. The burner’s large container uses an “air curtain” design to capture and re-burn particulate matter, thus greatly reducing smoke, harmful fine particles, and carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. The amount of smoke emitted is comparable to that of a chimney. The burner can process five to nine tons of material per hour and produces far less charred material, which, once cooled, will be dispersed in the area to provide nutrients for the soil. Air curtain burners have been thoroughly tested by environmental agencies, including the EPA.
During this project some roads and paths will be intermittently closed to allow for the delivery of the air curtain burner and to transport woody debris to the burner area. Watch for closure signs and remain out of the work area. For specific closures view our Memorial Park trails closure advisory.