Upper Ojai Wildfire Protection Zone (U.O.W.P.Z.)

Upper Ojai Wildfire Protection Zone (U.O.W.P.Z.)

The U.O.W.P.Z. provides a defensible space for the community north of Highway 150 and west of Sisar Road in the upper Ojai Valley. The project area is 412 acres. The treatment area is an 86-acre fuel break created in the mid-1990s under a Vegetation Management Program Project (RX-3-031-VNC). The method of treatment will be hand cut and stacking of chaparral, brush and limbing of trees to be burned in the winter months. The U.O.W.P.Z. is located within the United States Department of Agriculture project known as the Ojai Community Defense Zone or CDZ, a NEPA compliant project. The Environmental Assessment for the CDZ lists operational constraints that apply to the U.O.W.P.Z. project, such as: no fuel breaks activity within 328 foot wide riparian conservation area for Sisar Creek (measured from the streambed high water mark on both sides of the creek bed); a limited operating period of September through January; site surveys to be conducted when working outside the limited operating period; and biologist directed vegetation removal to retain suitable habitat characteristics for breeding. Burning of piles will be done in coordination with Ventura County Air Pollution Control District by burn permit. In addition site surveys will be conducted for cultural assets within the project area as access is created by ongoing work.

Ojai

Ventura