LASSEN COUNTY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL
GENERAL MEETING MINUTES
January 4, 2011
The Lassen County Fire Safe Council (LCFSC) convened in regular session at 6:30 p.m. on January 4, 201 at the Susan River Fire Protection District Office, 705-145 Highway 395, Susanville. Officers present were Chair Dorine Blankenship, Secretary/Treasurer Cathy Dirden, Managing Director Tom Esgate, and Education Coordinator Dan Douglas.
I. Opening and Welcome: Dorine welcomed all and asked for introductions around.
Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Cathy Dirden gave the report.
II. Public Comment: None
III. Managing Director’s Report
Active Projects:
Lake Forest and Susanville Fuel Reduction – Both projects are complete. Tom will prepare shape files for the CWPP and CFSC; close out reports will be done in the next 30-60 days.
CCPI & SNC Ash Valley & McClelland have been combined into one contract. Cutting will begin on McClelland;
Mapes & Parks – Road issues need to be worked out with Alturas BLM.
New Funded Projects:
Clear Creek – Cathy is developing the property owner database. Risk Assessments were postponed until spring, but could have been in progress given the lack of snow this season. The initial mailing and sign-ups will begin in April. Agreements will be completed within the week with both Sierra Pacific Industries and Beaty for landscape work surrounding the community.
Janesville RAC – $67,000 awarded by the Lassen County RAC and will be shown as a match for the SNC grant application.
Big Valley/Lookout – CFSC grant was awarded the Pit Resource Conservation District (RCD) for removal of juniper and dead and dying pine. We hope to have a companion grant coming from SNC in June.
2012 Western Wildland Urban Interface (WWUI) Kramer Ranch – The grant app made the cut; final word will come in March and the grant will be dependent on how much funding the USFS allocates to the Western States WUI program.
Applications/New Potential Projects:
Eagles Nest –Tom will schedule with Tom Garayoa/ Eagles Nest, Dave Sandborg/USFS, and Mark Pustejovsky/SPI to review the area if the weather holds. Otherwise they’ll wait for a spring review of the area..
Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Project/Diamond Mountain – Nothing to report.
SNC Projects (Clear Creek, Little Valley, Kramer Ranch, Janesville, Milford) – Tom requested letters of support from all agencies. Modoc BLM and USFS promised to provide, as did Cal Fire and Honey Lake Power. Tom stated fuel tours were done in Kramer and Little Valley areas.
Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) – Tom asked all to review the WUI map for changes and additions, keeping in mind the overlap of WUI areas. Karl Todd/BLM provided a map for the Council to review. Tom encouraged all agencies to comment. The Council discussed how the areas were designated; some are simply clusters of homes, others established communities. Frank Stewart/Quincy QLG/CA FSC encouraged adopting the Modoc and Plumas counties CWPP boundaries where they overlap into Lassen County. Tom encourages participation from other counties but doesn’t want the meeting to become too large; we’ve kept the meeting to 2 hours once a year. Frank provided a summary of Projects from Plumas FSC that details all their projects and sources of funding. The CWPP meeting will be held at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at the Susanville Interagency Fire Center on 5th Street in Susanville.
VI. Education Director’s Report. Dan Douglas gave the following report.
Firewise in the Schools Program – CDs of the program were provided to Nez Pierce tribe in Idaho and two districts in Colorado. The Firewise did not post the program on their website as promised; he will follow-up. Dan stated that all kit materials for the next two years have been printed. Dan has had issues with some schools not turning in their kits at the end of their classes.
Modoc Fire Prevention Conference – Jim Miguel/USFS Modoc stated they are restructuring the Forest which may have an impact on the future of the conference.
Newspaper Insert – The Education Committee will be discussing how to go forward this year at the next Council meeting scheduled for Thursday, January 19th at 4:30pm.
Other – Dan will be preparing education project entries for CWPP meeting.
- Agency Updates.
BLM/Lassen – Karl Todd reported conditions are too dry for burning.
BLM/Modoc – Jerry Wheeler reported they are transforming and combining programs to reduce costs. Conditions prohibit burning for them as well; they’re waiting for moisture.
Cal Fire/Lassen – Jeff Young reported some SRA fees may go to FSCs; he expects other agencies will fight the decision. Legislation is pending to eliminate the fire prevention component. The decision will be challenged in court. (Frank stated he heard it will stay as prevention.) Engine personnel will now do defensible space inspections since funding has been reduced. No burning yet. Jeff stated they will be hiring a battalion chief who will do networking as a FSC liaison. Hiring will be in May/June.
Ivan Houser stated they are set to go on pile burning in the River Bench; the Janesville area will follow. Cal Fire is partnering with SPI to establish a fuelbreak around the Intermountain Camp. Ivan reported work continues on the EIS; they hope to have it out for comments soon.
NE CA Fire Prevention – Karl Todd stated they will meet January 12th at SIFC at 1:00 pm..
NRCS – No report
USFS/Lassen – Dave Sandborg reported they are waiting for conditions to improve for burning to begin. The education program for kindergarten and first graders will include 515 kids.
USFS/Plumas – Heather Munn stated they burned 10 acres behind the Janesville area. She has $1,000 available to spend on education materials.
Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) – No report
Susanville Fire Department – No report
Susan River FPD – The new screen is installed and projector is coming soon.
Quincy Library Group – Frank Stewart stated they are in the 13th year of a 5 year project due to the many suits/appeals. Eighty percent of DFPZ acres profiles are done. They are feeling the economic impact from appeals. He worries the agencies will fall away. There is a bill in the House to extend the Act to reduce deferred area, which means 70% of acres 77% biomass and 30% saw logs.
The scoping comment period for the Campbell project is closing; an objection period of 45 days will follow. Frank stated they are trying to get copies of budgets. They are looking at development of a map to tie into industrial areas, etc. He believes that only two grant applications will be approved for large Collaborative Landscape program. Frank encourages looking at it. Tom stated the Diamond Mountain project is what LCFSC has on the back burner. The private component complements the Forest Service on the project. Frank stated LCFSC is way out ahead of other Councils with collaboration. He encouraged having other counties come in to see how we do it.
The CFSC funding is going down and SNC will be out. He stated being a collaborative player is now important. He stated Dan Lang/CFSC is doing well with Firewise.
OES – Dave Junette reported having issues with the microwave on the mountain which may take some time to work out. Otherwise, everything with the NOA Emergency Alert System is ready.
SPI – No report.
Honey Lake Power – Mark Shaffer reported a disruption in the biomass industry; Honey Lake is curtailing trucks beginning January 15th through April/May. He’s concerned with managing woodchip piles. He asked for letters of support as soon as possible. They will be renewing their contract with PG&E and probably won’t have approval until March/April. He stated that environmental operation infrastructure concerns are critical. The Council discussed the impacts and concerns on the cost per acre, air quality, and lack of subsidies.
VI Other – None
VII Next Meeting: The next General Meeting will be Monday, February 6, 2012 at 6:30 pm at the Susanville Fire Protection District Office at 705-145 Highway 395 in Johnstonville.
VIII Adjournment: The meeting adjourned at 7:40 pm.
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