Madera Strategic Wildfire Mitigation Project (GG17173)

The Madera Strategic Wildfire Mitigation Project (MSWMP), will fund the strategic implementation of fuel breaks and defensible landscape projects in Eastern Madera County. Throughout the project performance period (2019-2022), approximately five to seven projects, will protect 15,000 habitable structures, as well as businesses, infrastructure and community resources. Treatments will vary based on fuel types and conditions (slope, elevation, etc.) but could include tree felling, mechanical or hand crew thinning, chipping and pile burning to accomplish public safety and fuel reduction goals.

In 2019, we initiated a multi-stakeholder process with landowners, CAL FIRE, U.S Forest, Service, Madera County, and other local stakeholders to identify priority projects for implementation. This included opportunities for public participation through the Fire Resilient Madera Workshops.

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Currently, three projects are in various stages of implementation:

Sugar Pine Private Lands Fuel Reduction Project: tree felling, tree removal, and mastication services in approximately 50 acres of private parcels in the Sugar Pine community. The project was completed in September 2020.

Cedar Valley Private Lands Fuel Reduction Project: fuel reduction and hazard tree felling and removal on approximately 45 acres of private parcels. Work began early April 2021 with planned completion by Summer 2021.

Sugar Pine & Cedar Valley Public Lands Stewardship Project: complements the two private land projects by creating fuel breaks and defensible fuel profile zones through a combination of mechanical treatment and piling, mastication, and hand crews in an aggregate of ~340 acres on public lands. To plan these projects, YSRCDC executed a Supplemental Project Agreement (SPA) with the Sierra National Forest in July 2020. This work is a Shared Stewardship initiative to increase the pace and scale of forestry work on public lands.

For updates on the project, including future community engagement opportunities, please subscribe to our newsletter (scroll to the bottom of this page).

 

Funding for this project is provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as part of the California Climate Investments Program. Work on the fuel breaks is expected to begin fall 2019.

The Madera Strategic Wildfire Mitigation Project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment —particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California. For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website at: www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.

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