Sept Meeting Re-CAP

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Updates & Stats from the September 18, 2024, Fire Safe Council Meeting in Avila Beach

Fuel reduction is a critical part of San Luis Obispo County’s strategy to mitigate wildfire risks. The San Luis Obispo (SLO) Fire Safe Council (FSC) is involved in various ongoing and completed projects, each aimed at reducing fuel loads, removing hazardous trees, and ensuring safer communities. Below are detailed updates on these projects, including their status and the funding sources that make them possible.

Presentation:
Phil Hammer from the Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board presented the proposed general order for “Regional Waste Discharge Requirements for Vegetation or Sediment Removal or Management Activities for Fire or Flood Risk Reduction.” You can view the presentation here.

Upcoming Projects:

  1. Forest Stewardship Presentation (Covell Ranch)
    • Start Date: September 21, 2024
    • Scope: Educational presentation on forest health.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE & Forest Health Grant.
  2. Covell Ranch Treatments
    • Start Date: September 23, 2024
    • Scope: 100 acres of prescribed burns and vegetation management.
    • Funding Source: Monterey Pine Forest Health Grant ($6.7 million).
  3. Lizzie Street Hazard Tree Removal
    • Start Date: October 1-7, 2024
    • Scope: Removal of 100 hazardous trees.
    • Funding Source: City of San Luis Obispo & CAL FIRE.
  4. Coyote VMP Brush Crushing
    • Start Date: Early October 2024
    • Scope: 150 acres of brush crushing.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE VMP Grant.
  5. Pope VMP Brush Crushing & Crew Work
    • Start Date: Late September 2024
    • Scope: 100 acres of brush crushing.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant.
  6. 7 Oaks VMP Re-crushing
    • Start Date: Late September 2024
    • Scope: 200 acres of re-crushing to maintain fuel break.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE VMP Grant.
  7. Monterey Pine Restoration Project
    • Kickoff: Week of October 7, 2024
    • Scope: 6,000 acres of forest restoration.
    • Funding Source: Monterey Pine Forest Health Grant ($6.7 million).
Current Fuel Reduction Projects:
  1. San Simeon Point
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 50 acres of vegetation management.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant.
    • Details: Tribal monitors have overseen the project, ensuring compliance with cultural resource protection.
  2. 1,000 Hills Ranch (Prescribed Burn Prep & French Broom Control)
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 150 acres being prepped for prescribed burns and invasive species control.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE & SLO FSC.
  3. Davis Peak/Wild Cherry Canyon (Diablo Canyon Fuel Break)
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 250 acres of fuel break development.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant.
  4. Pecho Valley Road (Montana de Oro)
    • Status: Completed
    • Scope: Removal of 200 hazardous trees along Pecho Valley Road.
    • Funding Source: PG&E Vegetation Management Grant ($75,000).
  5. Avila Valley Treatment Projects (SLBE, Baron, Squire, Gragg, See Canyon)
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 300 acres of vegetation clearance and fuel management.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE & SLO FSC Grants.
  6. Huasna Treatment Projects
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 180 acres of fuel reduction in rural areas of Huasna.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE VMP Grant.
  7. Environmental & Archaeology Reviews (Coyote, Sunstorm, Stagecoach VMPs)
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 500 acres of environmental review prior to vegetation management.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE VMP Grant.
  8. Heritage Ranch Fire Safe Demo Garden
    • Status: Completed
    • Scope: Creation of a fire-resistant landscaping demonstration area.
    • Funding Source: Local grants and donations.
  9. Chipping Projects (Paso Robles & Cambria)
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 60 tons of vegetation chipped across both locations.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant.
  10. Hazardous Tree Removal (San Luis Obispo)
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: Removal of 150 hazardous trees within the City of SLO.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE & City of San Luis Obispo.
  11. LADRIS Evacuation Planning Collaborative
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: County-wide evacuation planning.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant.
  12. FIRESHED Planning Project
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 1,000 acres of comprehensive watershed-level fuel management.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant.
  13. Parkhill Brush Crushing Projects (Cal Poly Monitoring)
    • Status: Ongoing
    • Scope: 200 acres of brush crushing.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE VMP Grant.

Completed Projects:

  1. Toro Creek Fuel Reduction
    • Status: Completed
    • Scope: 75 acres of fuel reduction.
    • Funding Source: PG&E ($75,000).
  2. Pecho Valley Road Fuel Reduction
    • Status: Completed
    • Scope: 200 hazardous trees removed.
    • Funding Source: PG&E ($75,000).
  3. Lizzie Fire Project
    • Start Date: October 2024
    • Scope: 100 acres of post-fire hazard mitigation.
    • Funding Source: CAL FIRE ($100,000).

Grant Activity Updates:

  • Monterey Pine Forest Health Grant: Awarded $6.7 million for forest restoration, focusing on long-term projects across Cambria, Hearst Ranch, and Covell Ranch. The grant is set to end in 2030.
  • PG&E 2024 Vegetation Management: Completed projects include Toro Creek and Pecho Valley Road. The Lizzie Fire hazard reduction project will start in October 2024.

These projects are funded through collaborations with CAL FIRE, PG&E, and local partners, making San Luis Obispo County safer and more resilient in the face of wildfire threats.

For more details on ongoing projects, check the California Water Board Presentation.