Fire season 1999 in northern California was a season of destruction. On the Fourth of July weekend, an escaped prescribed fire destroyed homes and incinerated the landscape in Lewiston. Then, at the end of August lightning storms ignited wildfires that burned more homes, killed one wildland-urban intermix resident, and blackened thousands of acres. Some lightning fires in the Trinity County Big Bar Complex are still burning and might still burn homes. It isn't over yet. In the last week of September, strong, sustained north winds drove an intense wildfire through the community of Happy Valley south of Redding burning more than 50 homes and more outbuildings. Both the landscape devastation and the destruction of homes could be reduced, perhaps eliminated, if the landscape was restored to conditions similar to the fire-adapted native forest. The residents of Shingletown Ridge show how people can work together to create a community forest that can burn safely and be a pleasure to live in.
From the beginning, the Shingletown Project engaged as many neighbors as possible. It has always been a local project supported by government - not a government project supported by locals and that has made all the difference. The result has been seven years of sustained community involvement, removal of almost 2000 green tons (3,852,000 pounds) of fuels around homes, completion of 3 shaded fuel break miles, and coordinated fuel management on neighboring commercial forests.In 1993 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) Shasta-Trinity Unit Chief Ray Stewart contracted Dr. Ron Hodgson of California State University, Chico to develop a community based hazard mitigation project and appointed Battalion Chief Ralph Minnich to head the effort. When Chief Stewart retired, Chief Duane Fry continued CDF's commitment.
Hodgson based the action plan on social marketing and innovation diffusion theory and the results of his research, supported by CDF and the Forest Service, on the adoption of defensible space. They selected Shasta Forest Village because John Welch, a noted wildlife artist, recognized the fire threat and had already begun to organize his neighbors. They first identified neighborhood organizations, opinion leaders and other key people. Next residents learned fire behavior and fire ecology basics. Then, an acceptable plan for hazard mitigation was developed with the neighborhood. Finally, neighborhood groups with CDF assistance implemented the project.
Water company and property owners' association officers agreed to sponsor the project, and soon were, joined by Neighborhood Watch. Dusty Gerbing, an active community leader, joined about this time and became the project's principal coordinator. The Watch, especially Peggy Engle and Bobby Rogers, organized education meetings in homes throughout the Village. Neighborhood organizations took the lead and Minnich and Hodgson assumed roles as educators, advisers, and facilitators.
At a Sleepy Hollow Drive meeting, residents decided they were ready to work. Before the meeting ended, several rolled up their sleeves and left. Chain saws were heard as hazard mitigation began in earnest. Brush piles appeared at the roadside throughout the Village.
Minnich organized chipping crews and equipment. Shasta Wheelabrator Energy Company purchased the chips to burn to at their Anderson plant. Residents removed 90 green tons the first year. More importantly, fire-adapted landscaping became part of the culture. People liked the looks of a fire safe forest.
Redding television stations interviewed residents as they worked. Newspapers carried stories. The publicity motivated residents and spread the idea to other neighborhoods on Shingletown Ridge.
The next year, residents, CDF, and the University prepared a wildfire defense plan for the Shingletown Ridge locating fuel breaks and setting priorities. The project spread to other neighborhoods, eventually involving 11 settlements, each with an active volunteer corps. Each year, Ralph Minnich and Fire Captains Mark Caufield and Al Merriman provide support and coordination and work to expand the fuel break system. Seven years of community self-help supported by CDF appears to be only the beginning.-
You can reach Ron at 530-898-4089/rhodgson@csuchico.edu
