• NRCS is expanding its initiative to provide private landowners with funding assistance to address tree mortality. Check out our post to if you are interested in learning more, including contact info for NRCS’s Madera office.
• What causes wildfire?
• Echoing what the USFS said today, a big thank you to all our veterans, including the many who have worked in wildfire prevention and fought wildfire on the front lines.

Here is an important notice from NRCS. The Madera NRCS number is (559) 674-4628. Attachment below:

To: Supervisors & CAOS: Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tulare and Tuolumne counties
From: Cara Martinson, CSAC Legislative Representative

RE: Tree Mortality Funding: Private Landowner Assistance

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in California released a notice on Friday that they are expanding their initiative to assist private forestland owners in addressing tree mortality and other drought-related damage to improve forest health. NRCS will provide financial assistance for landowners with dead and dying conifer forest trees in certain counties. Removing dead tree debris and other woody material will also help reduce the spread of invasive pests and reduce the threat of wildfire.

Landowners with dead trees on non-industrial private conifer forestlands in Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Fresno, Kern, Lake, Los Angeles, Madera, Mariposa, Nevada, Placer, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Tulare and Tuolumne counties may be eligible for financial assistance.

Funding is available through the NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program. For more information, please see the attached press release and visit the NRCS website.

Thank you,

CARA B. MARTINSON

Legislative Representative, Environmental Issues

CALIFORNIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES

Download press release here.

• An unfortunate reminder that wildfires are still very much a danger in the fall. Stay firewise, everyone.
• New report says there is a major fire “deficit” in the greater Sierra Nevada Region. The summary is a little dry and technical, but worth checking out.
• Interesting NFPA article: “Debunking 10 Myths about Home Fire Sprinklers.”

• This 40-year experiment in Yosemite compared the benefits of fire management vs. fire suppression. Very interesting results, and worth checking out.
• More prescribed burns planned for Sierra National Forest this fall and winter. Sierra News Online has more details.
• In honor of Halloween and #FireCodeFridays, here is some great information from NFPA to make sure all your Halloween celebrations are up to code.

• Important rules and safety tips from CAL FIRE for residential landscape debris burning.
• Short FEMA video on the benefits of home fire sprinklers.
• From USFS, a Citizen’s Guide to National Forest Planning.