EFM, a large commercial timber owner here in Scott Valley has been working hard to reduce the fire risks around our communities. In partnership with the Scott River Watershed Council (SRWC), the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation (QVIR), Jefferson Resource Company, local logging contractors, private landowners and both state and federal agencies, work is underway to construct a fuel break is on approximately 1200 acres stretching from Kidder Creek to the south to near Ruffey Gap which is southwest of Etna, CA. Treatments will include mastication of brush and ladder fuels, hand treatment of fuels and some commercial logging. The fuel break will be approximately 600’ wide. Funding for this work is being supported by the CAL FIRE’s California Climate Investment (CCI) program.
The Log Fire in 2014 burned approximately 1600 acres and the Wallow Fire in 2017 burned approximately 150 acres of EFM property. Approximately 1100 acres was severely burned and is proposed for reforestation through this CCI grant as well. Douglas-fir will from local seed sources will make up the majority of trees planted, along with minor amounts of ponderosa pine, sugar pine, incense-cedar and white fir. Both project areas border USFS land and are within one mile of the Marble Mountain Wilderness boundary.
SRWC has also secured funding from the North Coast Resource Partnership that has two project components. The first is to support the effort set forth within the CCI grant award and increase the treatment areas adjacent to the Quartz Valley Indian Reservation and in the subwatersheds of Etna and French Creek drainages.
The project objectives aim to reduce the fire risk to the City of Etna water system infrastructure, human life and infrastructure and increase ecosystem resiliency, while supporting the Tribal cultural values and employing members of our economically disadvantaged communities. Additionally, work to improve roads within the Kidder Creek subwatershed to reduce sediment inputs to the creek in hopes of improved water quality.
