Shaded Fuel Breaks - Vital Tool in Wildfire Management

Shaded Fuel Break - Eldorado National Forest

With smoke generated by numerous wildfires burning in Northern California stinging the eyes of many residents in coastal and inland valley areas, QWR believes it is important for recreationists and property owners to become more engaged in efforts to increase the number, size, and scope of forest /wildland fuel reduction projects on private, state, and federal lands.

One of the many fuel reduction tools used by land managers are shaded fuel breaks.  Recently, QWR visited private and federal shaded fuel breaks along the Highway 88 corridor on the Eldorado National Forest.

"Defensible Space" Shaded Fuel Break on Private Property

According to Fire Safe San Mateo County, one of the more common vegetation management practices is the creation of shaded fuel breaks, which are a carefully planned thinning of dense tree cover and the removal of underlying brush. These are placed in strategic locations along a ridge, access road, or other location such as around a subdivision.

Fire Safe San Mateo County Shaded Fuel Break Program

http://www.firesafesanmateo.org/resources/shaded-fuel-breaks

The objective of a shaded fuel break is to reduce, modify, and manage fuels within designated areas in order to enhance mitigation efforts in the event of a wildland fire situation. A shaded fuel break does not remove all vegetation in a given area.

Shaded Fuel Break along Forest Service Road - Eldorado National Forest

Cal Fire says that fire suppression resources can utilize this location to suppress wildland fires due to the modification of fuels of which may increase the probability of success during fire suppression activities. Any fuel break by itself will not stop a wildland fire.

OHV recreationists and other public land users know all too well about how uncontrolled wildfires can impact destination trail opportunities at Stonyford on the Mendocino National Forest (2012 Mill Fire) and the Hull Creek OHV area on the Stanislaus National Forest (2013 Rim Fire).  Mandatory 1 year or longer “hazard tree” closures are imposed which eliminates access to trail and campground opportunities within the burn footprint.

1 Year Rim Fire Closure - Stanislaus National Forest

 QWR commends those recreationists who are participating in pre and post-fire collaborative stakeholder processes.   Trying to find common ground with diverse interest groups on substantive vegetation management projects that can help protect resources and provide an economic benefit is an honorable task.  We really don’t have any other choice. 

Post-Fire Recon at Stonyford OHV Area

QWR’s Sound Trails Initiative spent a few days last week working with Forest Service staff doing a post-fire assessment.  As some of you know, about 3/4ths of the designated trail system at the Stonyford OHV Area on the Mendocino National Forest was decimated by a wildfire that was started by two lost hikers in July.  

 

The Stonyford OHV Area is the largest Forest Service destination area in Northern California.   While there is no direct access to the trail system for non-street legal OHVs out of the main camping areas at Davis Flat and Fouts Springs, dual-sport motorcyclists can access a large number of non-burned trails by simply riding a few miles up M10.  Non-street legal OHVs can be trailered up M10 for a few miles where they can use system roads/trails that are open.

 

In addition, dual-sport motorcyclists can access the extensive trail network at the Upper Lake OHV Area by using the OHV corridor that links up Stonyford with Upper Lake.

 

QWR will be working with the Forest Service and volunteers over the winter months to help restore and monitor the trail system for an anticipated reopening of the main route network in late spring of 2013.

 

QWR also wants to thank all of our sponsors who make it possible for us to protect and promote responsible OHV recreation on public lands.

 

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Volunteers Needed for Post-Fire Recovery at Stonyford

QWR, a volunteer on the Mendocino, wants to give you an update on the Mill Fire.  As you know, the 2001 Trough Fire did not impact that much of the trail system, but it did destroy the various OHV camping and staging areas at Fouts Springs.  On the other hand, the Mill Fire spared the Fouts Springs campgrounds but fried about 80% of the popular trails between Fouts to Lett’s Lake and back down to Little Stony.

 

Link to Current Mill Fire Closure Order and Closure Map

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5382658.pdf

QWR believes that trail volunteer efforts will play a key role in getting this area back online.  QWR is planning to play an important role in helping the agency facilitate and work on volunteer trail efforts.  If you love Stonyford we are asking you to fill out and send in a volunteer agreement to Paige to help with future volunteer projects. (see  volunteer agreement below)

 

Here is an announcement from Paige

Thank you for eagerly extending a helping hand for the process of cleaning up the devastation of the Mill Fire.

We are currently awaiting the full report from the BAER (Burned Area Emergency Response) Team.

As soon as we get permission to enter the area and start closure & rehabilitation work, I will email you with some dates.

The first project in order will be to secure the perimeters of the fire.  Access to the trail system will need to be closed with signs and straw bales along the intersections of M-10, 17N02 & Goat Mountain.  Theses main roads hopefully will be opening soon.  Not until the fire is called out, which most likely will be after we get rain, will we be able to start trail rehabbing.

I have attached a volunteer agreement which will need to be completed prior to any volunteer work that you do for the Forest Service.

Thanks again and I will be in touch soon!

~Paige

  

Paige Makowski

Mendocino National Forest
Grindstone Ranger District
O.H.V Recreation Technician
(530) 963-1328

Here is the link to the volunteer form

http://www.sharetrails.org/uploads/Volunteer_FS_agreement.pdf


Send form to:

Paige Makowski
Mendocino National Forest
825 N. Humboldt Ave.
Willows, CA 95988

If you would like to sponsor or support QWR’s post-fire recovery work (e.g. travel, supplies, seed money for matching grants, etc.) you can donate at:  *ID it for "Stonyford Fire Recovery"

http://www.quietwarriorracing.com/Sponsorships.html

Thanks in advance for your support in helping get Stonyford reopened for public use.