Tuolumne County Receives Grant To Reduce Roadside Vegetation

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Sonora, CA — Tuolumne County has received a $1.6-million grant that is designed to help reduce the risk of wildfire.

The money is coming from CAL Fire via the California Climate Investments Fire Prevention Program. Ryan Campbell, an Administrative Analyst with the county, says about 2/3 of the local grant money will be spent on roadside vegetation management. He notes, “There are 140 miles of county maintained roads that are in desperate need of roadside brushing to remove those ladder fuels that can be sparked by things like a cigarette and then go into the forest. We really want to get rid of those types of fire fuels along the roadside.”

Click here to view a close-up map detailing the roads included in the project.

The remaining 1/3 of the money will be used to fund a voucher program for low and middle income residents to help with defensible space clearing.

Other local entities receiving funding from CAL Fire include Columbia State Park and the Highway 108 FireSafe Council. The state park will utilize $102,235 for fire fuels reduction and hazard tree removal and the FireSafe Council will spend $251,731 to construct shaded fuel breaks.