The Western Shasta Resource Conservation District, through the Shasta County Fire Safe Council, received a National Fire Plan grant to construct a shaded fuelbreak along both sides of Highway 299 from the east boundary of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area to the west boundary of the town of Old Shasta. This project created 36 acres of defensible space at a cost of $70,500.
Wildfire has played a natural part in the evolution of vegetation of the 30,400 acre Shasta West watershed in northern California. With increased urbanization, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention consider this area as High to Very High fire danger. A large percentage of the watershed has not burned in the last 60 years and local officials are very concerned with the level of fuel accumulation and the dramatic increase in residents.
The shaded fuelbreak extends 100 feet from the edge of the road on both sides of the highway, creating defensible space to the community and improving traffic safety along the highway. This fuelbreak is designed to reduce fuel loading in the brush and to reduce ladder fuels. Brush and understory trees eight inches and less in diameter have been removed, leaving the highway corridor with an open park like appearance.
This project supports Whiskeytown’s Fire Management Program goals and objectives to reduce hazardous fuels and protect communities at risk from catastrophic wildfire. This project ties in with several shaded fuelbreaks that have been completed inside the park. Working together and supporting projects that have a common objective to reduce forest fuels and help to reduce some of the risk of catastrophic fires while helping to protect firefighters makes sense.
Local support for this project has come from the Shasta County Fire Safe Council, Shasta West Fire Safe Council, Cal Fire, Shasta County Fire, and Shasta Volunteer Fire Company. WSRCD has also had support and assistance from California Department of Transportation – District 2, and Cal Fire Trinity River Camp.
Contact: Carol Jandrall, Fire Communication and Education Specialist
Phone: (530) 242-3438
*This story supports the National Fire Plan |
