Behind The Scenes



Coyote/Circle/Westmont Project



Eucalyptus Hill Project

Now that our defensible space chipping services are wrapped up, our vegetation road clearance project doesn't start for two more months, and we are observing our vegetation management biological/environmental requirements during bird nesting season, you may find yourself wondering what we do.



Besides starting this blog off with a very long sentence, we are behind the scenes preparing for all of the work ahead of us this fall. Specifically, the remaining two projects funded in part by the National Fire Plan grant provided through the California Fire Safe Council. These remaining project areas, scheduled to be completed by December, will kick off in early August.



Work through these projects will occur outside of a homeowner’s defensible space requirement area (100' to 150' from edge of structure) in the large open spaces where multiple properties join together. Work on each parcel requires the Fire Department to enter into a signed Letter of Understanding. This document allows us to perform work on private property and also outlines future maintenance requirements. Work is performed according to the vegetation management specifications provided under the City’s 2004 Wildland Fire Plan.

The two project areas that we have scheduled for completion include the Eucalyptus Hill project area and the combined Coyote Road/Coyote Circle/Westmont-Las Barrancas project area. Treatment in these areas will occur on an estimated 15-20 acres and will be completed utilizing a combination of privately contracted crews and by the California Conservation Corps. crews provided by CAL FIRE.

Making Your Community Safe. One Project At A Time.

Last month we concluded our 2010 North Ontare Vegetation Management Project. This project took place in the extreme foohill zone of the high fire hazard area. This project was also part of the Community Fuels Treatment Network.

Through this project we treated over 20 acres of vegetation. We focused on removing dead material, limbing up trees, removing fire ladders, protecting sensitive habitat and species and removal of exotic/non-native vegetation. The remaining portion of this project included an abandoned avocado orchard that had also been burned in the 2009 Jesusita Fire. Due to the location of work, gaining access to chip the cut vegetation would have been difficult. The Fire Department worked in cooperation with the local homeowners and felt that a pile burn project would be the best method of removing the dead and down fuel.

Pile burning is still a very viable method of reducing hazardous vegetation and it worked well for this project. On Monday, April 18th, the Fire Department, with the help of both the CCC and CAL FIRE hand crews (based out of the Ventura Youth Conservation Camp), completed the burning of 12 large piles.

If you are interested in learning more about reducing vegetation through pile burning or any of our vegetation management projects, please contact us at 965-5254

Vegetation Managment Kicks off The Year

The Wildland Fire Suppression Benefit Assessment District has been busy working with homeowners in an effort to increase fire safety throughout the district. We kicked off this year’s vegetation management program through the project area identified in the Wildland Fire Plan as being part of the Community Fuels Treatment Network. This first project is located in a large narrow strip located at the upper limits of the City Limits and located within the Extreme Foothill High Fire Hazard area.

We will be working with private property owners, CAL FIRE/Ventura hand crews and Peterson's Tree Care for chipping services over the next 2 months while we complete the project.

We will be posting pictures noting our progress here on our blog.

'Before' and 'After' crews performed vegetation removal. this past week.