Don't be alarmed! San José Fire Department (SJFD) will be conducting live-fire training exercises at Santa Teresa County Park on Thursday, June 25 and Friday, June 26 from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily. The live-fire portion of the event will begin at 10:00 a.m. on June 25 and run throughout the day. There will also be live fire most of the day on June 26. Residents are advised that they may see smoke in the areas surrounding the park as a result of the planned training exercise.
Park Visitor Advisory
Park visitors are advised that the Mine Trail south of Bernal Road will be closed as well as the Pueblo Trail and the connector trail between Pueblo and Mine Trail. The Pueblo day use area and the road to the equestrian lot will also be closed on both days during the training exercises.
Purpose of Training
The purpose of this training is to instruct recruit firefighters in wildland firefighting practices. This live-fire training is consistent with previous exercises SJFD has conducted in the park, allowing recruit firefighters to utilize specialized tools and equipment, personal protective equipment, and employ wildland suppression strategies and tactics in a controlled setting. Impacts of the training exercise on the surrounding area are expected to be minimal. Benefits to the areas being burned include removal of non-native, invasive species of plants, such as the star thistle.
Questions or Concerns
As always, it is SJFD’s primary concern that the community feels safe and is fully aware of the Fire Department’s ongoing effort to serve the community by protecting life, property, and environment through prevention and response. On the days of the burn, please feel free to contact the onsite Public Information Officer, Captain Mitchell Matlow at 408-896-8524. The Public Information Manager, Erica Ray, is also available at 408-398-9228 for any further questions or concerns.
For more information on how you can safeguard your home and prepare for fires or other emergencies, please visit www.sjfd.org.