June 19, 2012 — On Thursday, June 7 the Sierra Nevada Conservancy (SNC) awarded grants to two Lassen County Fire Safe Council (LCFSC) projects and a LCFSC partner project to improve forest health, restore wildlife habitat and reduce fire risk in and around Lassen County communities.

LCFSCs Clear Creek project was awarded $349,650 which will be used in conjunction with the current $156,422 California Fire Safe Council grant to restore forest health and reduce hazardous fuel loads within and around the Clear Creek community in Southwestern Lassen County and a portion of Eastern Plumas County.

Partners in the project include the Clear Creek Community Service District and Fire Department, Calfire, Sierra Pacific Industries, W.M. Beaty and Associates and private landowners.

A project signup is currently under way and work is expected to begin in late summer/early fall of 2012.

A new project in and around the community of Little Valley in Western Lassen County was awarded $349,800 to improve forest health and watershed function and reduce hazardous fuel loads.

Key project partners include Sierra Pacific Industries, Mountain Jewel Ranch and Crum Ranch.

In an effort to obtain additional funds for this important project, the LCFSC hopes to leverage the SNC investment by applying for and receiving a Western States Foresters grant later this summer.

Project planning and coordination will begin this fall and startup is anticipated to begin in mid-2013.

The Pit Resource Conservation District (PRCD) was also awarded $349,692 for the Kramer Ranch Forest and Meadow Restoration Project at the western end of Big Valley in Northwestern Lassen County.

LCFSC has been managing and administering forest and sagebrush steppe restoration treatments in partnership with PRCD through cooperative agreements since 2005.

The SNC project will be implemented concurrently with two other adjacent PRCD and LCFSC projects.

Thinning of pine stands and the removal of invasive western juniper will also benefit the Bieber and Lookout communities. Key partners include Kramer Ranch and Calfire.

LCFSC also intends to assist the Lookout and Bieber communities in receiving Firewise Community USA recognition. Work is expected to begin later this summer.

“All three projects were developed in conjunction with the Lassen County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) Working Group,” said Tom Esgate, LCFSC managing director. “The Lassen County Board of Supervisors and our agency partners sent letters supporting our applications and that made a big difference. We are very grateful for the support we have received from all our partners.”