Strategic Community Fuelbreak

Work set to resume on Strategic Community Fuelbreak

SOLVANG, Calif.— The next phase of the Strategic Community Fuelbreak Improvement project on the Monterey Ranger District within the Ventana Wilderness is scheduled to begin as early as this week. This phase of the project focuses on the fuelbreak that runs along the coastal ridgeline atop Skinner Ridge, Mount Manuel, and Post Summit from Botchers Gap to the Big Sur River.

The project is on Forest Service lands and will include areas both inside and outside the Ventana Wilderness. Work will be performed by Los Padres fire employees and OC Forestry, an Oregon-based contractor, in coordination with the Resource Conservation District of Monterey County. Using chainsaws, weed eaters and other motorized hand tools, crews will thin and reduce the brush along designated ridgelines. The cut material will be piled for future burning, or chipped and spread.

This project underwent public scoping in 2017 and a Record of Decision was signed in November 2018 authorizing the work on 10.4 miles of historically used fuelbreaks in the Ventana Wilderness and 13.6 miles of fuelbreaks outside of the wilderness. The project was designed to reduce the likelihood that a wildfire burning within Los Padres will spread into the wildland-urban interface and enable fire crews to safely conduct fire suppression operations. 

“This important work is the culmination of years of collaboration with stakeholders and cooperating state and local agencies,” said Monterey District Ranger Fin Eifert. “Improving these historically used fuelbreaks both within and outside the Ventana Wilderness will allow for a more robust response on initial attack.” 

Work in the Chews Ridge area outside wilderness began October 25. This next phase of the project is estimated to take between two and three weeks to complete, barring potential delays such as significant weather events. The expected project completion date is December 21, 2023.