Palomar Ranger District Begins Fuel Break Maintenance

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Ramona, California

The Palomar Ranger District of the Cleveland National Forest has started fuel break maintenance this month, and will continue until the completion of the project as weather and fuel moisture conditions permit.   Forest Service firefighters are supplying the labor when not otherwise engaged in firefighting duties.

Fuel break maintenance projects remove vegetation for the purpose of facilitating safe and efficient fire suppression actions, and reduce the size and intensity of wildland fires while helping to protect the wildland urban interface.   "The threat from wildfire can be greatly minimized through these proactive efforts that reduce and slow fire spread through the use of fuel breaks, and decrease fire volatility by reducing the fuel load," said John Forster, Fuels Battalion Chief for the Palomar Ranger District. "This results in greater safety to fire fighters and protection to key urban interface areas, and wildlife habitat."

"While we are doing our part to reduce hazardous fuels on Forest Service lands adjacent to subdivisions like San Diego Country Estates, fires don't stop at boundary lines.  I cannot emphasize strongly enough that the job is not complete until homeowners do their part to create defensible space around their home," cautioned Forster.

The fuel break project is in the area of Ramona Oaks Road, Kerri Lane, Barona Mesa, and Lone Oak Trail.  The width of the fuel breaks varies from 150 feet to 300 feet.  The Forest Service will be moving plant debris resulting from thinning into piles that will be burned only during favorable weather conditions and with fire engines in attendance.  Residents in the area and media that is interested in visiting the project site can contact Chief Forster at 760-788-0250 for further information.


Author:US Forest Service Press Release