This year´s fire season is one for the record books already.

Deputy Stanislaus National Forest Supervisor Glenn Gottshall says the Forest Service is “aggressively pursuing” the National Fire Plan for reducing hazardous fuels and fire risk in the forest.

“In this area we´ve had a number of different grants,” Gottshall says, “including the Lair of the Golden Bear Grant, a matching $50,000 grant to actually do fuels reductions right in that area.”

Gottshall says there are many areas along the Highways 108, 120 and 4 corridors that are scheduled for fuels reduction work funded by grants.

Gottshall spoke before the Tuolumne County Supervisors Tuesday morning, briefly touching upon numerous projects the U.S. Forest Service is currently involved in.

Gottshall says the Regional Forester´s Review and follow-up action plan are soon to come to a completion on the local forest.

The acting forest supervisor says the process has pinpointed three key issues: Communication, improving relationships and improving the U.S. Forest Service´s credibility with the local communities.

Gottschall says a Regional Forester Review team will be in Sonora Thursday to review the plan´s final draft and work on the forest action plan.