|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Wildfire experts say that fire season is now year-round and with drier weather, higher temperatures and wind, a blaze can occur at any time. Through its Wildland Fire Resiliency Program, Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is proactively maintaining open spaces across the Peninsula to prevent widespread fires.
The program, finalized in 2021, is designed to reduce fire intensity and improve fire safety through ecologically sensitive vegetation management, prefire plans, scientific monitoring and prescribed fires.
As climate change drives continuous change in the environment, Midpen works all year to maintain vegetation along roadsides and continue ongoing preparation for future wildfire prevention projects. Annually, the district evaluates what fire projects will be prioritized and partners with local fire agencies to identify key spaces.
“The prioritization process is really critical,” said Public Affairs Specialist Ryan McCauley, “We help manage more than 72,000 acres of open space, so by looking at GIS (geographic information system) maps and different data layers on where we focus our efforts really helps make sure we get the most bang for our buck in terms of protecting spaces.”
This year, Midpen is focusing on multiple projects, three of which are in the La Honda and Palo Alto region — La Honda Creek Preserve and along Page Mill Road.
Midpen is currently working on expanding existing shaded fuel breaks at the La Honda Creek Preserve to promote wildfire safety for the town of La Honda. Fuel breaks are a wildfire mitigation technique that strategically removes brush and reduces tree coverings to create defensible landscape without ready fuel to burn. This reduces fire speed and increases the probability of fire suppression if a flame were to spark, according to the San Mateo County Fire Safe.
In early August, the district also completed a project to remove eucalyptus trees along the shoulder of Interstate Highway 84 to help maintain the roadway as an emergency escape route. For wildland-urban interface communities such as Portola Valley and Woodside, evacuation routes are always among top concerns.
The Page Mill Road project is also aimed at managing vegetation across nearly 27 acres of land around Foothill, Monte Bello and Los Trancos Open Space preserves to maintain an emergency road from vegetation overgrowth.
“Fire does not recognize property boundaries, so doing this proactive work around fire requires a lot of partnership between public and private agencies, fire organizations and individual homeowners creating defensible space on their own properties,” said Midpen spokesperson Leigh Ann Gessner.
While vegetation management involves removing plants, cutting tree limbs and clearing brush, Midpen explains that clearing vegetation in open spaces and maintaining healthy ecosystems are not mutually exclusive.
“It’s easy to see trees getting cut down and think it’s bad for the environment, but the way that we do that is by removing non-native species that are more fire prone and really encouraging and making sure that those native plants that are adapted to California are able to thrive,” said McCauley.
He added that Midpen also supports legislative work that advocates for funding and policies that support the local communities’ ability to prepare and prevent fires while also protecting the balance of the ecosystem.
Recently, state Sen. Dave Cortese (D-Silicon Valley) proposed a bill that aims to promote environmentally sensitive vegetation management to reduce wildfire risk while also protecting native plants and wildlife. On Sept. 8, the bill passed the state Senate. Cortese has authored various bills around fire safety since the Los Angeles fires in January.
Wildfires across the state
This year, Californians witnessed the tragic impacts of multiple wildfires in Los Angeles, during a time of year that typically sees more rain. Gessner said with evolving weather patterns, it’s important for everyone to be preparing and thinking about wildfires throughout all months of the year.
According to Cal Fire, there have been over 6,800 wildfires reported this year, burning more than 515,000 acres of the state. Currently, firefighters are responding to widespread flames in Fresno, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.
The Garnet Fire in Fresno began on Aug. 24 due to a lightning strike and has burned over 54,000 acres. Flames are threatening a grove of historic sequoia trees in the Sierra National Forest, some of which are about 2,000 years old, according to The Guardian. As of Sept. 9, the fire is 15% contained.
The Gifford Fire in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara county has been burning for over a month, starting on Aug. 1, damaging nearly 132,000 acres of land and is almost entirely contained. Flames sparked near a highway.
While these fires may be miles away from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, the chances of local wildfires are unpredictable. In late August, the Edgewood Fire near Woodside burned 10 acres after flames from a vehicle fire spread to nearby vegetation. Firefighters contained the flame a couple of feet away from Cañada College’s campus. Woodside Fire Protection District officials stated that hot and dry weather conditions paired with wind contributed to the spread.
Funding and staffing for wildfire projects
Midpen funds its fire-related projects through their annual operating budget and grants since 2017 has secured $7.5 million in funding. As the needs for wildfire prevention and preparedness increase, the need for skilled staff also becomes necessary.
While the district helps fire agencies plan and prepare for wildfires, Midpen also has trained staff and equipment to be able to respond to serve as first responders as well. According to Gessner, rangers who work in the field receive annual training and certification to be able to act as responders until firefighters arrive on scene. Midpen ranger trucks are also equipped with water pumps.
Since 2020, additional staff has been added specifically for fire-related work including field resource specialists, rangers, equipment mechanic operators and open space technicians.
Midpen’s work around fire projects involves many sectors of the district. Before each annual project begins, Midpen biologists and archaeologists survey the land to identify sensitive plants, animals and cultural sites. In the office, the grants department is hard at work applying for funding to support Midpen’s fire program.
“We’re working really hard all year-round proactively, to prevent and prepare to respond to fire. It involves a lot of great partnerships,” said Gessner
To learn more about Midpen’s Wildland Fire Resiliency program visit openspace.org/fire.
