Free brush clearing?

[stumpfield]

I just got a letter from the county's Fire Safe Council (a non-profit org.) said that they will paid to do the survey and hire a contractor to clear brushes 300 feet wide to create a fire break along the road that's on my property. It's a little over 1/2 mile long on my property which translates into about 20 acres of clearing. My initial thinking was... this is great! free brush clearing. Then I picture this long strip of bare dirt and wonder what it looks like afterward.
Is this a good thing or do I need to weight the pro's and con's. It sounded too good to be true at 1st. Then I contacted them by phone and they said yes. All you have to do is to sign the consent form then we'll send a forester out to do the survey. You don't have to participate if you don't want to.... I got a little suspicious when the letter read like this....

...your property is within the project area. We hope you agree with us that this is a great opportunity for you to improve your property without any cost to you. Should you agree to participate, the resulting hazardous fuels clearance should make your property more fire safe and possibly more valuable.

Why would anyone contact you to make your property more valuable What do you think?

 

[randy41]

i would ask them for references from people they have done this for before and then contact those people.

 

[MrJimi]

I smell scam??
If its to good to be true thing
Jim

 

[HomeBrew2]

Our area's Fire Safe Council was recently formed. I don't participate so I only know what they told me when I asked about it and minutes of meetings that they sent me.
They are a non-profit org that essentially coordinates fire related activities amoung the public, CDF, Park Service, Forest Service, etc. They have to devolop a Fire Safe Plan before anything can really happen. Then they can apply for grants to fund "projects". Projects might include fuel reductions, like yours, or a public info campaign, or any number of other things in the plan. The plan obviously included a fuel reduction project in an area that your property just happens to be in.
In my opinion, you hit a little jackpot. It's definately a legit deal.
For further info, you an request to be put on their email/mail list or ask when the next meeting is and attend. They are usually once month around here.
If you think it's a good deal, and want to make a donation, I'm sure they'd gladly accept it and it should be tax deductable.

 

[HomeBrew2]

Here's the main Fire Safe Council page

Here's the Mariposa County sub-page

Here's the separate Mariposa County Fire Safe Council page

One should be able to find everything there is to know about it, names, addresses, phone numbers, minutes, bylaws, e-newsletters.

 

[stumpfield]

..................................
In my opinion, you hit a little jackpot. It's definately a legit deal.

Your are right. I did a little research and found they are legit. They got grant $$$ from california Prop 40. So, our tax dollar funded the project. They are doing the entire road all the way to madera county line. That's about 10 miles from the hwy.

Usually, I would expect the fire dept to tell me clear the brush or they will get someone to do it and make me paid for it or file a lien against the property. This letter sounded too nice....

 

[Doc_Bob]

Read the contract to make sure you are not obligated to do any work or have any future "duties". If it is a one time deal, with no strings attached, go for it.
Bob

 

[SnoFalls]

Why would anyone contact you to make your property more valuable What do you think?

The higher the property value the higher the property taxes ...

300 feet wide sounds like a huge swath being "taken care of" ... I'd be wary of what restrictions will be put onto the land in question going forward as well.

 

[HomeBrew2]

The higher the property value the higher the property taxes ...

Not exactly in Kalifornia. We have the famous Proposition 13 in effect from the 1970's.
Property is initially taxed at 1% of appraised value.
Tax can only increase at 2% per year thereafter, until sold.
However, any improvement, usually triggered by a permit, will be taxed and added to the exosting tax. That is, no full re-appraisal.
A full re-appraisal will occur upon sale.

 

[Highbeam]

Are you required to maintain the stripped area as a stripped area? Do they get all upset if you let the fuel grow back?

 

[Phils]

We've had a Fire Safe Council here for about 8 or 9 years and they have done some great work, including clearing fire breaks like they are offering stumpfield. The breaks haven't been "stripped". They've just been made more fire safe by removing the "ladder fuels".

Removing ladder fuels is what I've been doing to our place for 25 years and I'd have quickly accepted an organization's help had it been offered.

Phil

 

[Doc_Bob]

The breaks haven't been "stripped". They've just been made more fire safe by removing the "ladder fuels".


Phil

What is a ladder fuel?
Bob

 

[Phils]

Ladder fuels are the dead branches on the lower part of a tree, flammable brush and anything else that will allow a grassfire to "climb a ladder of fuel" to become a forest fire. Keep the flames out of the trees and fires are easier to contain.

Likely not a concern in WI but a REAL concern in the western forest fire states.

I attached two photos I took last week, the first looking toward my tractor shed and where the ladder fuels have been removed. The second is looking 180 degrees in the opposite direction and you can see exactly where I stopped clearing ladder fuels last spring. That's where I'll start again soon.

Phil

 

[Highbeam]

We refer to that as "parking out" the forest. Being able to mow in and around your trees. I've also heard it called "goated out"

I've done a huge amount of removal of the ladder fuels though it wasn't for fire as much as for creating a woodland pasture for the larger wildlife. Reach as high as you can with the chainsaw to debranch and make all the underbrush goes away.

 

[RobertN]

It should provide some decent clearance for access on the road, plus removal of fuel around the road. This is something to think about too as you work on your property and house.

Make sure you can access with a large truck. you should be able to easily get a Fire engine up to your house. Remember they are much larger than a car or pickup.

It is important if you have a medical call; an engine will be your first resource. Also, most medic rigs are fair sized vehicles too.

It is important for wildland season too. If your drive is not maintianed for access, you might not get an engine up there to save or protect your house.

I've been on calls where the brush and trees justed raked the engine and medic unit. Seen a couple where the engine crew had to walk part way in; the engine could not fit either the drive, or the trees and branches were just too hard to get through.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Likely not a concern in WI but a REAL concern in the western forest fire states.
Phil

So much farmland that fires are not a big convern, unless someone starts the brush on fire alongside a major road.

Thanks for the explanation!
Bob

 

[3RRL]

Your are right. I did a little research and found they are legit. They got grant $$$ from california Prop 40. So, our tax dollar funded the project. ....

So Tom,
Let me get this straight...they are using MY money to clear YOUR property? LOL