Garden Valley Fuels Reduction Project

The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council is proposing the Garden Valley Fuels Reduction Project to mitigate wildfire risks across approximately 2300 acres by reducing hazardous fuels through mechanical, herbicide, or prescribed fire treatments. The project targets surface and ladder fuels while establishing canopy separation in the dominant overstory to decrease the likelihood of high-severity wildfires, thereby protecting nearby developed areas from tree mortality and property loss. Treatments will focus on areas with elevated fuel loads that lie outside existing special use authorities, ensuring that interventions are directed where they are most urgently needed. Ongoing maintenance activities, including additional mechanical or prescribed fire treatments, are planned throughout the project’s life to sustain reduced fuel loads and canopy spacing, enhancing long-term landscape resilience. The project is forecasted under the El Dorado County Resource Conservation District in California, with no specified solicitation number or NAICS code, indicating it is in the early planning phase. Point of contact for the initiative includes Mark Egbert, District Manager, reachable at 530-957-3472 or mark.egbert@ca.usda.gov, and Tamara Johnston, Grant Manager, reachable at 415-867-9530 or tamara.johnston@gmail.com. The project is publicly listed with a UI link for further details and is scheduled to be posted on June 29, 2026. While the exact funding structure and contracting mechanism are not yet defined, the initiative reflects a coordinated effort to proactively manage wildland fuels and reduce community exposure to catastrophic fire events.