Prevention Grant Awards. The length and strategic location of Alta Vista fuel break allows for monitoring fires in all four directions, and would allow Cal Fire to set up a strong and effective defensive line to stop fires coming from the Merced River Canyon into downtown, or coming off SR-140 and into the dense fuels throughout Midpines. It will allow for enhanced retardant drops and backfires, improving containment efforts. This project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by creating a forest resilient to stand-leveling wildfire. The removal of dense ladder fuels will decrease habitat competition, allow for accelerated growth of the large diameter trees, and increase CO2 sequestration in the remaining specimens.
The Mariposa County Fire Department was granted $267,842 for the acquisition of a Caterpillar 299D2XHP Compact Track Loader and XYZ to masticate existing and new fuel breaks and treatments and remove hazardous fuels throughout Mariposa County from the CAL FIRE California Climate Investments (CCI) Program - FY 2020-2021 Fire Prevention Grant Awards.
This will reduce fuel loading and improve the resilience of priority landscapes in the WUI. Fuels reduction at strategic locations will reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire and thus reduce greenhouse gas emissions released by the combustion process. Removing understory brush and small diameter trees will reduce competition for resources and promote growth among mature overstory pine, oak, cedar and fir trees which will increase their carbon storage.
