Mitigating fire risk to the communities it serves is a top priority of the Groveland Community Services District. The GCSD Infrastructure Fuel Reduction Project is a significant effort of this ongoing endeavor.
The district received a grant award of $405,462.40 from the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Fire Prevention Program as part of the California Climate Investments Program to complete this project. The project-specific fuel reduction area is approximately 119 acres in size and located within property owned by the district.
The intended result of the fuel reduction is to protect the communities of Big Oak Flat, Pine Mountain Lake and Groveland from a large, damaging fire that could come from the Tuolumne River Canyon. A large portion of the fuel reduction will allow the Rim Truck Trail West Fuel Break and Jones Hill Fuel Break to be connected, segment by segment, to encompass the community of Groveland and the GCSD assets.
In early May 2023, Crooks Logging began masticating the areas with heavy equipment to create a shaded fuel break, this is to be followed by hand cutting surface and ladder fuels in the understory of the GCSD properties. The benefit of removing the understory is the fuels reduction and elimination of the subsequent greenhouse gas emissions that would result from intense, fast-moving fire that can quickly spread to mature trees. Removing the fuel will allow mature trees to live through a wild land fire. Mature trees are able to process significantly more threats than smaller plants due to their large size and extensive root structures and have woody biomass to store carbon dioxide. Native Ponderosa Pines and Black Oak within the fuel break are examples of trees especially good at absorbing and storing carbon dioxide that aids in combating climate change.
In addition to removing hazardous fire fuel, these efforts will provide additional access for firefighting activities, ultimately increasing initial attack success by allowing firefighters to work safely in the area; to give ample land to allow change in fire direction; to drop fire to the ground; and to stop the spread of wildfire under adverse fire conditions that will reduce the number of extended or major wildland fires.
The before and after images show the intense amount of work done over the past six weeks. The remaining hand work necessary to complete the project will most likely be completed by Crooks Logging laborers.
Before fuels reduction
After fuels reduction
Groveland Community Services District provides water, wastewater, parks and emergency services to 3,000 full time residents in and around the historic town of Groveland, near the northern entrance to Yosemite National Park. They are a CSDA member and hold the silver level District of Distinction by the Special District Leadership Foundation. Their General Manager is @Pete Kampa and their website is www.gcsd.org.