PRESS RELEASE: Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority Plans Prescribed Fire at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve This Fall

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Rancho Cañada del Oro

Prescribed fire will reduce wildfire risk and restore native grassland health

SAN JOSÉ, Calif. (October 6, 2026) – The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (Authority) plans to conduct a prescribed fire this fall as part of its Wildland Fire Resiliency Program. Weather and conditions permitting, the prescribed fire will take place at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve. The agency is executing this project in collaboration with CAL FIRE, the Santa Clara County Fire Department, the San José Fire Department, Santa Clara County Parks, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and Prometheus Fire Consulting. It is designed to reduce the risk of extreme wildfire for surrounding communities while restoring the health of the preserve's native grasslands.

Beginning this month, smoke may be visible from Casa Loma Road near Rancho Cañada del Oro. Some smoke from prescribed fire is expected and is not a cause for alarm. Members of the public should not call 911 to report smoke or fire activity in or near the prescribed fire areas.

Planned treatments, as conditions allow:

  • Approximately 5 acres of grassland and oak woodland at Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve over the course of one to two days, plus about 30 brush piles at a later date.

Prescribed fire is one of the oldest and most effective tools for maintaining California's grasslands. The prescribed fire planned this fall marks the return of an Authority program and is designed to clear built-up duff and dead plant material, reducing the risk of catastrophic unplanned wildfires and helping protect nearby human and natural communities. It also promotes native seed production and improves the long-term resilience of the landscape and the communities around it.

Prescribed fire is one of several tools the Authority uses to reduce wildfire risk and help protect surrounding communities. The Authority also uses grazing cattle, mowing equipment and hand-pulling to remove invasive weeds and reduce fuels.

Rancho Cañada del Oro has a documented history of prescribed fire and well-established ecological benefit, with strong results from past treatments.

Prescribed fire is not applied on a fixed schedule or uniformly across the Authority's preserves. Grasslands are managed on a rotating cycle of grazing, mowing and prescribed fire, while other vegetation types, such as chaparral, need far longer between treatments to regrow in a healthy way. Site selection is driven by vegetation type, burn history and ecological readiness.

What neighbors and visitors can expect

Each prescribed fire depends on weather, fuel moisture and air quality meeting a strict set of conditions on the day of ignition. If those conditions are not met, the prescribed fire will be postponed. Dates will be confirmed publicly the morning of each ignition.

Signage will be posted at trailheads, parking areas and along adjacent roadways. Portions of the preserve may be closed to visitors during and immediately after operations; closures and reopening timelines will be posted at openspaceauthority.org/alerts-closures.

Smoke may settle in low-lying areas in the early morning and evening. Children, older adults and people with heart or respiratory conditions may want to limit time outdoors and keep windows closed when smoke is present.

How to stay informed

  • Sign up for burn alerts and read frequently asked questions at openspaceauthority.org/prescribed-fires
  • Follow each burn on the Watch Duty app
  • Follow the Authority on Instagram, Facebook and Nextdoor
  • Questions about the program can be directed to info@openspaceauthority.org

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About the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority
The Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority conserves the natural environment, supports agriculture, and connects people to nature, by protecting open spaces, natural areas, and working farms and ranches for future generations. Since 1993, the Authority has protected almost 30,000 acres of open space, natural areas and working lands, watersheds, and wildlife habitat – providing ecologically friendly outdoor recreation and preserving the natural beauty and environmental health of the Santa Clara Valley. For more information, visit openspaceauthority.org.

 

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