California Wood Pellet Mills: Fire Risks & Concerns
- Plans by Drax, the world's largest biomass company, to construct wood pellet mills in California are facing scrutiny due to concerns about potential fire hazards.
- Wood pellets, composed of compressed wood byproducts, are known for their flammability.
- Drax's own history includes incidents such as a 2011 fire in south Shields, U.K., where wood pellets spontaneously combusted, and a 2021 fire at its Port Allen, La.,facility.
Drax’s California wood pellet mill project sparks serious fire risk concerns. News Directory 3 reports that plans to build mills in fire-prone areas near yosemite National Park are under scrutiny. Discover how past incidents, including numerous fires at existing wood pellet facilities, raise critical safety questions about flammability.Local residents are voicing their worries regarding the potential impact of these wood pellet mills, seeking answers about logger training and potential over-harvesting. Weigh the economic benefits against the potential fire threats. What decisions will county representatives make? Discover what’s next …
California Wood pellet Mill Project by drax Sparks Fire Risk Concerns
Updated June 14, 2025
Plans by Drax, the world’s largest biomass company, to construct wood pellet mills in California are facing scrutiny due to concerns about potential fire hazards. The company,which harvests trees across North America to produce wood pellets as a fossil fuel option,aims to build mills in Tuolumne and Lassen counties through its partner association,Golden State Natural Resources (GSNR).
Wood pellets, composed of compressed wood byproducts, are known for their flammability. Records show at least 52 fires have occurred at U.S. wood pellet facilities as 2010, according to the Southern environmental Law Center. The Environmental Integrity Project also reported that over half of the 15 largest wood pellet plants experienced fires or explosions as 2014.
Drax’s own history includes incidents such as a 2011 fire in south Shields, U.K., where wood pellets spontaneously combusted, and a 2021 fire at its Port Allen, La.,facility.
Despite a lawsuit regarding fire damages, Drax is moving forward with its california proposal, arguing that wood pellet production can help mitigate wildfire risk by removing dead and dying trees. In October 2023, GSNR met with Tuolumne County residents to address concerns. However,Megan Fiske,a community college instructor,said some residents near the proposed sites were unaware of the plans.
The proposed mills are located in fire-prone forested areas near Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park. If approved, loggers could remove biomass within a 100-mile radius of the mills.
fiske also raised concerns about logger training and potential over-harvesting under wildfire resilience schemes.
“People who were a hundred feet away from the [proposed] pellet plant had no idea about it,” said Fiske.
Patrick Blacklock, GSNR executive director, said the company is learning from past incidents and incorporating design features to minimize fire risk.
What’s next
County representatives will decide whether to approve the plan, weighing the potential economic benefits against the fire risks and environmental concerns raised by residents and experts.