Mt. Konocti Interface Fuel Break

Mt. Konocti Interface Fuel Break

CAL FIRE and the Kelseyville Fire Protection District, in partnership with the Lake County Fire Safe Council, are planning a fuel reduction project in neighborhoods collectively known as the Riviera at the base of Mt. Konocti near Clear Lake. The Mt. Konocti Interface Fuel Break is a top priority project in Lake County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan and in CAL FIRE's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Strategic Fire Plan. The fuel breaks are planned in locations where crews could more effectively and safely combat a fire and improve the effectiveness of air tanker drops. Vegetation in the project vicinity is dominated by mature, decadent brush including chamise, manzanita, and toyon, interspersed with small to medium sized trees such as interior live oak, California bay laurel, gray pine, and knobcone pine. Hundreds of acres of flammable vegetation are adjacent to the neighborhoods. The fuel breaks will entail removal of vegetation in linear strips using hand crews, bulldozers, or masticators. Material cut by hand crews will be piled and burned for disposal, or may be chipped if burning is not feasible. Masticated vegetation will be left in place to decompose. Vegetation removed by bulldozers will be piled and burned for disposal. Some vegetation will be retained in a mosaic pattern in order to reduce erosion and provide wildlife habitat. Operators will take care to remove the less desirable, more flammable brush species such as chamise, while retaining larger manzanita plants and trees such as oaks and bays. The fuel breaks will range from 100 to 300 ft wide, depending on treatment method. Areas treated by hand crews will be approximately 100 ft wide, while areas treated by equipment may extend up to 300 ft wide. On average, the fueld breaks will be approximately 200 ft wide.

Lake