National Fire Plan Success Story
Protecting Visitors, Residents and Firefighters
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area, California
National Fire Plan - Fuels Reduction
Exotic species, such as Scotch Broom were thick on the Whiskey Creek project.
The Whiskey Creek roadside shaded fuebreak improves forest health while reducing the fire danger.
Thinning the understory.
Fire Management at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area successfully completed the Whiskey Creek roadside shaded fuelbreak in winter 2007. This sixty-acre fuelbreak was considered a high priority for the park due to the build-up of hazardous fuels along the road, the proximity of developed areas and several park residents' homes.
Fire management worked with the resource division to plan the project which included dense pockets of brush, closely spaced trees and an abundance of exotic plants, including scotch broom. The project used several strategies including thinning, brushing, chipping, piling brush and burning as appropriate.
The depth of the fuelbreak varies depending on the fuel types, topography and the proximity to riparian areas. Whiskeytown fuels staff and Cal Fire inmate crews began the project in summer 2006 and completed it in winter 2007.
Using a variety of tools available to fire managers, this shaded fuelbreak not only improves forest health by thinning and reducing ladder fuels but it also reduces fire danger and will enable fire crews to quickly and safely attack wildfires due to the reduced fire intensity. Visitors and residents benefit with safer fire escapes routes.
Whiskeytown continues to support hazardous fuels projects around developed areas and along roads used by the public which the National Park Service deems a high priority.
Contact: Carol Jandrall, Fire Education Specialist
Phone: (530) 242-3438