Pacific Southwest Region

Southern California Hazardous Fuels Rehabilitation and Restoration

Evacuation Route Clearing

• USDA Forest Service
• California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
• San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties

Over the past few years drought and bark beetle caused tree mortality have turned many mountain highways and travel routes into tunnels of red trees, ready to explode. During a fire, this situation would generate intense heat and flame lengths next to the road, blocking the escape route of local citizens and the ingress route for fire fighters, therefore, limiting the ability of firefighters to use of roads and highways as control sites. Congressional funding made available to the USDA Forest Service is being used to support these ongoing hazardous fuels reduction efforts, which began in 2003. Last year, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) crews fell 8,704 trees along vital transportation corridors and around critical infrastructure, including communication towers. FY 2004 Congressionally earmarked funds are providing additional protection for lives and property in the San Bernardino Mountain areas, including San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego counties participating in evacuation route clearing in case of a wildfire emergency.

Work began in early 2003, when CDF crews working with the California Department of Transportation (Cal Trans), San Bernardino County Roads Department, local Fire Districts, and local school districts cut dead, beetle killed trees along evacuation corridors, around fire stations, police stations and around schools. The San Bernardino Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (MAST) established the clearing of trees in these areas as a high priority to provide for public safety as well as the safety of emergency responders. In 2004, these groups are revisiting the sites, and clearing new sites to address continued tree mortality and danger.

This work has already paid off. During the Old Fire those areas cleared of dead trees along Highway 18, a primary travel route, greatly aided firefighters conducting a backfiring operation using Highway 18 as their control line. While excellent firefighting occurred during this operation, there is no doubt that the dead tree removal reduced the risk of the operation and prevented spotting into the dry dead trees north of the highway.

Work on clearing transportation corridors and around critical infrastructure is ongoing and will continue to be conducted to reduce the risk of fire to residence and emergency workers alike.

Further information regarding this activity can be obtained by contacting Glenn Barley or Steve Faris at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, San Bernardino Unit, 909-881-6900.

Success Stories

• Barton Flats
• Breaking Barriers
• Burn Area Restoration Projects
• Carveacre Community Protection
• Charlton Flats
• Crystal Lake
• Evacuation Route Clearing
• Forest Area Safety Taskforce
• Grant Successes
• June Aerial Flight Results
• Kuffel Canyon Road
• Laguna Mountain Community Protection
• Lake Arrowhead Log Storage Facility
• March Aerial Flight Results
• Mistletoe Eradication
• North Lake Arrowhead Fuels Reduction
• Seeds for Forest Renewal
• Skyline Fuels Reduction Project
• Student Conservation Association Partnership
• Take Pride in America

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