Gary Sharpe, assistant field manager at the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Ukiah office, reported Wednesday that they're conducting a controlled burn of chaparral on the mountain.

The burn is both for research and fuel management purposes, said Sharpe. He didn't have a size for the fire in acreage.

The Cow Mountain Recreation Area was closed Wednesday for the burn, said Sharpe, which should be complete by Thursday.

“By Friday the mountain should be open again unless we have some hots spots or weather change,” he said.

Cow Mountain includes 52,000 acres of land ranging in elevation from 800 to 4,000 feet, according to the BLM. Its rugged terrain is steep, with chaparral-covered slopes along with oak, pine and fir trees.

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