Annual tax would be $179 per parcel for property owners
By Justin Scacco | Special to The Union
The 2018 Camp Fire that devastated Paradise marked the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the state’s history.
Since that time, fire officials have drawn comparisons between Paradise and the scenic forests that surround the Truckee area.
In order to prevent and mitigate a catastrophic wildfire, the Truckee Fire Protection District is advocating for a measure that would cost property owners $179 per year, per parcel, for work that would include: Removing dry brush, dead trees, and fire hazards; improving emergency evacuation routes and procedures; adding firebreaks where needed to help prevent or slow the spread of wildfire; reducing roadside vegetation key evacuation routes; improving early fire detection and emergency warning systems; and providing homeowners with easy and inexpensive disposal options for trimmings and green waste.
April 07, 2021
On Tuesday, the Napa County Board of Supervisors unanimously endorsed a proposal to reduce fuel – and fire risks in a county where deadly wildfires have destroyed houses, wineries and other properties.
The Napa Communities Firewise Foundation, a volunteer organization whose members include firefighters, vintners and other business leaders, commissioned the 18-month study that used remote sensing technology called Lidar to predict fire behavior given the county’s fuel conditions.
The document, known as the Napa County Community Wildfire Protection Plan, has led to the development of a 5-year vegetation management plan, including the construction and maintenance of fuel breaks. It is a tool the county can use to apply for state and federal funding.
Smoke rises from the Atlas Fire in Wooden Valley, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic)
Green Valley Fire Safety Council could be model for others
GREEN VALLEY Thomas Johnston admits to having been a little embarrassed by the condition of his property.
He said the property on Brae Court probably had been neglected for 40 years before he bought it nearly six years ago, but had not improved under his ownership.
Johnston, an inspector for the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health in San Francisco, said he simply did not have the financial resources to hire a service.
Now he describes himself as a “happy owner who took advantage of the (Green Valley Fire Safety Council) chipping program; happy to the extent the program was there.”