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MINUTES
BTCSD Greenbelt Stewardship Plan
Page 10 of 10
PUBLIC MEETING - August 27, 2005
Brooktrails Community Center - 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Presented by the Recreation, Greenbelt & Conservation Committee
Facilitated by Brian Weller
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An audience member said that a shaded fuel break is not like a firebreak where you can run a bulldozer through it; it is more like a park. Chief Tolbert said he was not a professional forester but his background was in fire suppression and extinguishing fires. He said in any type of a fuel break, which is not a firebreak, you don't want a bulldozed area with nothing but annual grasses growing. The shaded aspect breaks up the continuity and clears out underbrush. On any given day, however, with the changes in weather and topography, the fuel break may be effective, or it may not. When embers get blown up and thrown a quarter- or half-mile ahead of the fire, the fuel break won't be effective. But the usual incident is of less intensity, and the shaded fuel break can be effective in slowing it down and reducing the intensity. Fires are frequently stopped along ridgelines. It is up to the community to decide if they want 30%, 50% clearance, a complete clearance. He was informed by Bill Baxter that the 30% reduction applies to a completely closed canopy. He said whatever you do to improve that canopy situation will give CDF a better chance to control the fire.
Ms. Shannon commented that the shaded fuel break is only ugly the first year and then regrowth begins; certain wild grasses come back that are really important for animals, and some trees only regrow after fire. Ms. Skyler said she now realized she had been envisioning a fuel break, not a shaded fuel break. Mr. Weller asked Chair Ziady if there were examples in Brooktrails where this had been done, and she provided a street map showing a specific location in the Blue Lake area that had been done by CDF.
Mr. Weller commented that this process was a "do-ocracy," and defined that as the people that do it, are the people who show up. Chief Tolbert pointed out another shaded fuel break by Bear Court that was cut all the way down into Willits Creek, but not maintained; he said it was more of a fire danger now than when they cut it. Mr. Weller pointed out that if cutting is done, maintenance becomes the key issue, or the situation gets worse.
Ms. Avena said she works at home in Brooktrails and wondered if when these regulations were implemented there would be chainsaws going all the time. She asked if these would be regulated. Chair Ziady said there are guidelines on noise and this would be part of the education, and also there are ideal times to do this kind of work. Mr. Weller said from where he was sitting, he perceived a subtext to this discussion of developing closer, more cooperative neighborhoods.
An audience member asked if the demonstration site down at the fuel break were going to be cut; Chair Ziady responded that at this time it was not going to be.
Chief Tolbert gave a statement about the Fire Safe Councils and he encouraged attendees to get involved with them. Chair Ziady said she has talked to Julie Rodgers of the Mendocino Fire Safe Council and she said they hope to go to the neighborhood level. An audience member asked about NEST and was told they have disbanded and there is a CERT group now. The person referred to the emergency response structure that NEST had and hoped that that could be a factor in organizing. An audience member said he could answer questions about CERT. Chief Tolbert said that the same action-oriented people show up in different, overlapping community groups. Ms. Shannon said it is about 5% of the community who show up, but that small percentage can make the difference. Ms. Avena asked where we would go from here. Chair Ziady said the meeting would be transcribed; the ad hoc committee would respond and meet several times to refine the draft plan. The last public meeting would be October 15, after which the draft plan would be presented to the Board for approval at the October 25th Board meeting. Rounds of applause were given to the coordinators of the meeting and ad hoc committee drafting the plan.
The meeting was adjourned at 12:25 p.m.
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