A project to clear out weeds and other combustible materials in a section of Orinda had to be suspended Monday after wind conditions became unfavorable, Moraga-Orinda Fire District officials said.

The district had previously announced it would conduct a “prescribed burn” Monday between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the Sleepy Hollow area of North Orinda. Firefighters planned to use the low-intensity prescribed burn to maintain the North Orinda shaded fuel break.

But shortly after noon, the district announced that firefighters had “stopped ignitions” when winds picked up, and that the project would resume when conditions became more favorable.

Residents in the Sleepy Hollow and North Orinda neighborhoods were advised that smoke might remain visible for up to an hour following the burn, but the district did not say when the burn might resume.

The view of Orinda and its surroundings on Nov. 27, 2023, from the ALERTCalifornia-Volmer Peak web camera located at an elevation of 1,908 feet. The Orinda-Moraga Fire District said that portions of its prescribed burn project in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood should be visible on the camera. (ALERTCalifornia/UC San Diego)

The project is being coordinated with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to ensure safety and minimal smoke impacts to the community, fire officials said in a statement on the district’s website.

During the burns, residents are advised to close doors and windows to keep smoke from entering their homes.

Portions of the project should be visible from the Alert California-Volmer Peak Camera.

The fire district planned to provide additional updates and information on the project on its Facebook page.

Bay City News staff writer Kathleen Kirkwood contributed to this story.