The Salmon River Fire Safe Council
Jim Villeponteaux
The Salmon River Restoration Council
(SRRC) has been designing and completing fuel reduction projects
on the Salmon River since 1995. Decisions on where we performed past fuel
reduction projects
were opportunistic (where landowners allowed us), and
based on the experiential knowledge of a few people. In order to include
more stakeholders in the decision process, the SRRC encouraged the beginning
of the Salmon River Fire Safe Council (SRFSC) in December of 2000.
The mission statement for the SRFSC is “to help plan, implement and monitor the reinstatement of natural fire regimes in the Salmon River ecosystem in a manner that protects life, property, improves forest health, and enhances the resources valued by its stakeholders.”
Since our first SRFSC meeting, we have accomplished much. Our projects have ranged from simple to complex. Projects are suggested and selected by all the participants present at any particular meeting.
Ø Uniform Property Signing for Emergency Response
Ø Tanker Fill Site Selection, Approval, and Signing
Ø Private Property Fuel Reduction Prioritization
Ø Annual Fire Awareness Week
Ø Fuel Reduction Prescription Policy
Ø The Start of a Basin-Wide Fire Safe Plan
Ø Three Detailed Neighborhood Fire Safe Plans and Fuel Reduction
Ø Sawyers Bar Fire Safe Plan and Fuel Reduction
Ø Forks of Salmon Fire Safe Plan and Fuel Reduction
Ø Cecilville Fire Safe Plan and Fuel Reduction
Ø Somes Bar Fire Safe Plan and Fuel Reduction
All of the above projects have been volunteer or funded, except for the Somes Bar project, which has been submitted to the Siskiyou County Resource Advisory Committee for funding.
We hold monthly meetings where we discuss progress on our different projects and participants share things they have been working on. Participants include the Salmon River Restoration Council, Salmon River Volunteer Fire and Rescue, the Karuk Tribe, the United States Forest Service, community members, local business owners, Siskiyou County, the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, NOAA Fisheries, and others.
Our meetings are held monthly on the last Wednesday of the month (usually) at the Forks of Salmon Community Club, 1pm. Everyone interested in Fire on the Salmon River is invited. Please check with the SRRC office at 530-462-4665 to confirm meeting time and date.