Tulare County Roadside Hazardous Fuels Control Project

The County proposes a five-year roadside hazardous fuels reduction program. Work will occur along approximately 400 miles of existing County road rights-of-way in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity areas and will be limited to a 30-foot roadside treatment buffer. Treatments include removal of small vegetation and ladder fuels; selective removal of hazardous woody vegetation, trees, and shrubs up to 18 inches in diameter within or overhanging the rightof-way; weed abatement by pulling, mowing, or lawful herbicide application; and chipping, with chipped material scattered to a depth of less than four inches or removed. Treatment is intended for gentle slopes of less than 20 percent. Work will be performed by County staff and contracted crews. The purpose is to reduce hazardous fuel loads, maintain safer evacuation and emergency-response corridors, protect public infrastructure, and improve ingress and egress for residents and first responders. No roadway widening, new travel lanes, or new roads are proposed. Beneficiaries of the Project are community members and roadway users in mountainous areas of Tulare County.