Garden Valley Fuels Reduction Project

The Garden Valley Fuels Reduction Project, led by the Georgetown Divide Resource Conservation District and proposed by the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, focuses on hazardous fuels reduction across approximately 2,300 acres near Kelsey in El Dorado County, California. The primary objective is to increase wildfire resilience and reduce the risk of high-severity fire by removing or modifying surface and ladder fuels and establishing canopy separation. This will be achieved through mechanical treatments, herbicide applications, and prescribed fire. Specific technical requirements include thinning forest stands by removing trees up to 12 inches in diameter breast height or creating 20-foot spacing between trees, removing at least 90 percent of shrub cover, and pruning residual trees up to 10 feet while maintaining a minimum 33 percent live crown ratio. The project is categorized as a categorical exemption under Public Resources Code Section 15304 for minor land alterations. Operational requirements are stringent, including limited working hours from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and strict adherence to California emission and noise standards. Environmental protections prohibit drafting water from natural watercourses, using chemical dust suppressants, and operating equipment on saturated soils or slopes exceeding 45 percent. Contractors are responsible for protecting all utilities and property improvements and must obtain formal right-of-entry permission from landowners. Performance is supervised by RCD staff and Registered Professional Foresters, with cultural resource specialists ensuring no impacts occur on identified cultural sites.