Last year the Lassen Fire Safe Council was awarded a Cal-FIRE Wildfire Prevention grant in the amount of $2,999,924.32 for its North Susanville WUI Fuels Treatment Project. The purpose of the wildfire prevention project is to reduce hazardous wildfire fuels across the landscape, establish and maintain fuelbreaks along strategic wildfire containment features, and remove dead and dying hazard trees adjacent to public and private infrastructure.
The project spans from Eagle Lake Road to the Upper Susanville Ranch Park off Paiute Lane. Work has commenced on the construction of the Eagle Lake Road Fuel Break and Paiute Lane portions of the project.
LFSC has partnered with local contractor Tubit Enterprises to complete biomass utilization treatments within Upper Susanville Ranch Park and neighboring private properties.
Biomass utilization is the mechanical thinning and removal of small sub-merchantable conifers (less than 10 inches in diameter) in overstocked eastside pine forests.
According to the Fire Safe Council, thinning small diameter trees to favor larger more fire resilient trees will reduce ladder fuels and improve forest health within the park.
Work within the Upper Susanville Ranch Park is scheduled to begin in next few days and last through mid-May.
Use Caution in Upper Ranch Park
Upper Ranch Park trail users are advised to use caution as heavy equipment including feller bunchers and rubber-tired skidders will be operating in the area and chip trucks will be hauling the chipped biomass material to Honey Lake Power.
Operations will be active from the early morning to midafternoon, Monday through Friday. LFSC and Lassen County are making efforts to minimize impacts on Upper Ranch Park use while conducting the critical fuels reduction work.
Project partners include Lassen County, City of Susanville, Honey Lake Valley RCD, Sierra Pacific Industries, WM Beaty and Associates, Collins Company, Petesburg Fire Protection Zone, and dozens of private landowners.
For more information, please visit Lassenfiresafecouncil.org.
