Mariposa News - Tuolumne County Residents Invited to Discuss Fire Protection Strategy

(Sonora, CA July 2, 2009)…Fire Safe Council President Jerry Tannhauser today announced that on Thursday, July 9, the Highway 108 FireSafe Council is inviting Tuolumne County residents to meet and discuss fire protection, emergency preparedness, and fire prevention measures needed to protect life, property, and resources from wildland fires.

The open public meeting is scheduled to be held at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, July 9, 2009 at the CAL FIRE Columbia Air Attack Base, located in Columbia on North Airport Road (turn onto North Airport Road from Parrotts Ferry Road, proceed ¼ mile on North Airport, and look to the left for the CAL FIRE sign and automatic gate). The purpose of the meeting is to provide private landowners and local fire agency officials the opportunity to discuss, consider, and form a strategic planning link that connects fire protection, emergency access routes, defensible space around homes, and additional fire prevention measures to support agency firefighting efforts.

Attendees will enjoy a first class tour of the CAL FIRE Columbia Air Attack Base and a program on its distinguished 50-year history. Featured will be a presentation on the air base operation, and a site tour of the aerial firefighting facility. Agency officials also will be on hand to discuss California Public Resources Code 4291 requirements to ensure a 100-foot defensible space around homes and structures, and local community projects designed to reduce flammable fuels in the area.

The FireSafe Council is seeking ideas and comments from residents of Tuolumne County to help fire agencies better identify the existing wildland fire danger present on public lands administered by the Forest Service (FS), and adjacent private property located within the county and state responsibility area protected by the Tuolumne County Fire Department, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection(CAL FIRE), and direct protection area of the USDA Forest Service.

A significant portion of Tuolumne County consists of private land located in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), with portions bordering FS land. The entire county is considered a priority concern due to the level of flammable vegetation, adjacent homes, and the threat to life, property, and other values at risk due to the high potential for large and damaging wildlfires. The public is asked to help agency officials identify priority areas for strategic fuel reduction projects, generally located on private land adjacent to federally administered lands and surrounding communities.

The Highway 108 FireSafe Council works with the Tuolumne County Fire Department, CAL FIRE, USDA Forest Service, USDI Bureau of Land Management, Columbia Fire Protection District, Tuolumne Me-Wuk Tribal Fire Department, Tuolumne City Fire Protection District, Sonora City Fire Department, local fire districts, and local communities to develop and implement strategic community wildfire protection plans.