Fire crews are slated Monday to begin eliminating several hundred acres around Lake Mathews south of Riverside and Lake Skinner in Winchester as part of annual controlled burns to remove excess vegetation and restore native habitat.
Residents, motorists and others were advised not to be alarmed by the rising smoke columns that will be visible from the Riverside (91) Freeway, interstates 15 and 215, highways 74 and 79 and other locations, officials said.
The operations are scheduled to continue until June 14, but may be halted intermittently, depending on weather conditions, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency is coordinating with the county Habitat Conservation Agency and the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California to conduct the prescribed burns.
The objective is to remove overgrown foliage, generally between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily.
“The prescribed burn at Lake Mathews accomplishes the goal of rehabilitating the burrowing owl and Stephens’ kangaroo rat habitat through eradication of invasive, non-native grasses and weed species,” according to a fire department statement.
The California Highway Patrol typically receives multiple calls when prescribed burns are underway.
Anyone with questions or concerns was advised to contact the fire department’s public affairs bureau at 951-940-6985.