Late in 2002 the MCFSC was made aware that Federal funds would be made available for abatement projects within communities at the edge of the National Forest in areas where the USFS had either created or had plans to create fuel breaks or thinning operations. On November 17 at 7:00 P.M. the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council held a public meeting in the Town Hall in Idyllwild to discuss the West Ridge and Logan Creek Fire Abatement Projects which will assist property owners with abatement on private properties close to the National Forest in the Pine Cove area.
In consultation with both the CDF and the USFS, MCFSC laid out the areas to concentrate on first, then designed three specific areas where private properties needed to be abated in order to stop a fire that might be coming up-hill toward the Idyllwild-Pine Cove area. All of the project areas as designed along the juncture of the community and the San Bernardino National Forest. In addition, the three project areas are designed around three watersheds up which fire could easily travel.
West Ridge Project: The West Ridge project extends from the western tip of the South Ridge on the south, northward to the southern edge of Pine Cove, then westward to the west-most point of Pine Cove. In Pine Cove it extends several blocks into the community. The southern half of this project is crossed by the watershed formed by Strawberry Creek.
Logan Creek Project: The Logan Creek Project extends northward from the west-most terminus of the West Ridge Project northward along the SBNF boundary to the northern end of Pine Cove. The critical watershed here is Logan Creek itself, and is one of the two most potentially dangerous fire paths.
If your property is within this project area and you are interested in participating, please call the MCFSC office at 951-659-6208 by Dec. 31, 2004.
