Bay Area residents will likely see smoke starting Tuesday, Sept. 8, as fire crews burn up to 260 acres of grassland and coastal scrub at Angel Island State Park.

California State Parks, CAL FIRE and the Marin County Fire Department are partnering on the prescribed burn, which could continue throughout the week depending on weather, according to a Marin County news release published Friday, Sept. 4. Smoke is expected between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. on burn days and may linger up to three days after each ignition.

The agencies asked residents not to call 911 to report smoke from the island. The goal is to avoid overwhelming emergency dispatchers.

The burn targets fuel loads in grasslands and coastal scrub as part of State Parks' Prescribed Burn Program. Goals include vegetation management, wildlife habitat improvement and invasive plant control. The operation is supported by Proposition 4, the state Climate Bond that California voters approved in November 2024, which authorized $10 billion for environmental projects including $1.5 billion for wildfire resilience, according to a SPUR analysis.

Angel Island, the largest island in San Francisco Bay at one square mile, sits just off the Tiburon shoreline and is visible from communities across the region. The 260-acre operation would be more than twice the combined size of two prescribed burns conducted the week of Aug. 25 near Sky Oaks Ranger Station and Bon Tempe Reservoir, which totaled up to 123 acres.

What visitors should know

Angel Island State Park will remain open during burn days. However, portions of the Ida Trail, Sunset Trail and the park's fire and perimeter roads will be closed for one to three days during and immediately after the burn. Access to the summit of Mt. Livermore will also be restricted on some burn days.

The agencies coordinated with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to minimize smoke impacts. If weather or air conditions are not favorable for smoke dispersal, the burn will be rescheduled. No makeup date has been announced.

Officials urged anyone who smells smoke to limit time in smoky areas. Visitors near the burn should use caution around fire personnel and equipment.

Residents can check burn status on the Angel Island State Park webpage or on the park's Facebook and Instagram pages.