NATIONAL FORESTS: Last summer, 130,297 acres
burned in Siskiyou County in areas managed by the Six Rivers National Forest. Only 31,635
of these acres were in Wilderness. In follow up, Six Rivers proposes to remove hazardous
trees 150 feet on either side of 125 miles of roads. This is approximately 4,509 acres out
of the 130 thousand burned. Hazardous trees are those trees that are visibly dead and have
the potential to reach the roadway in the near future. The expected gross timber volume
from this activity will be 12 MBF. There is no other post-fire salvage planned.
In addition, the Klamath National Forest had 79,886 acres burn. Only
31,580 acres were in Wilderness. Of the non-Wilderness acres, 5,480 were low severity or
unburned acreage, 160 acres were privately owned, and 1,630 acres did not have commercial
timber. Of the burned acres remaining, areas off limits to timber harvest include 23,727
acres of “late successional reserves,” 7,714 acres of riparian reserves, and
8,508 acres of “released roadless.” This leaves 1,087 acres out of the almost 80
thousand acres burned that are available for harvest. Of that, 650 acres are being offered
for post-fire salvage to reduce fuels and improve the defensible space around Happy Camp
and Cecilville. Environmental groups are already submitting lengthy comments in opposition
to the Elk Creek and Caribou salvage projects.
I have requested that both the Six Rivers and Klamath National
Forests submit maps to the Board of Supervisors showing burns and re-burns over the past
20 years. It was noted that several of last summer’s fires occurred in areas where
there were dead and downed trees that had not been cleaned up from previous fires. Maps
that have been done for Trinity County indicate that fires have become larger over the
past century and that there has been a significant hazardous fuel build up as a result of
a lack of post-fire management. Fires that go through an area a second time are likely to
be severe stand replacing events.
Representatives from the National Forests indicated that they did not
have the staff to work on salvage projects. These projects are often appealed and held up
by environmentalists until the timber has rotted and is no longer useable. The Forests
would rather utilize in-house expertise on green sales where there is time to overcome
opposition. However, local mills need the wood now to keep mills going and the cumulative
fuel build up threatens local communities. These areas are a public nuisance that threaten
community health and safety.
PRIVATE LANDS: Bernie Paul
of Cal Fire recently distributed a report on some disturbing trends affecting the State
and Siskiyou County. Homes in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI – “woo-ee”)
areas of the State are increasing at a rate of 2.4 percent. Homes outside the WUI are
increasing at a rate of 2.1 percent a year.
Over the past five years, the number of fires per year on private
lands appears to be on the decline, however, the acreage burned is climbing. Since the
1970s and 80s, the average length of the fire season has increased 78 days. Fuels are
drier than they were in the late 1800s or are drier for longer periods.
The number of Cal Fire engines throughout the State have been reduced
10 percent since 1971. Staffing per engine has also declined. Crew strength has been
reduced 16 percent since 1991. Fire season funding has been reduced 11 percent since 1970.
For example, in 1970 the northern counties had Cal Fire staffing seven months out of the
year. In Siskiyou County and most of the northern counties, that has been reduced to five
months a year.
This year is already shaping up to be a dry year. I would recommend
that everyone make a diligent effort to clear a defensible space around their property and
to get active with your local Fire Safe Council as soon as possible.
http://www.firesafesiskiyou.org/ |
