From the April 2014 Battle Mountain News

Post date: Jul 7, 2014 6:10:25 PM

Here we are into the spring of 2014 and we have had little of the rain that Bonny Doon is known for. Multiple wild land fires occurred in January in Southern California and elsewhere reminding us of the extraordinary threat to our property, our homes and our lives that exists even in the supposedly wet months. Well, the dry months are now upon us and we hope that every resident takes seriously the responsibility to prepare their property to be as fire safe as possible. Your Fire Safe Council (FSC) has published articles and held talks on how we can each contribute to the community’s overall safety by taking a few minutes, or hours, making where we reside – property; outbuildings; homes – more fire resistant. Anyone needing that information again can contact us using the information at the bottom of this article.

Some really good news – the FSC has completed a Shaded Fuel Break in sections from about the upper quarry gate to just below the State Prison above Crest Ranch! This was a two plus year long project that was interrupted many times due to weather both rainy and very dry at the wrong times. This break will provide a safer evacuation route to be used in case of that eventual major and fast moving fire. The plan is for these sections of road cleared of the lower very flammable brush, to slow the advance of that Oakland Hills style fire giving us all a chance to get off the hill safely. These breaks will also allow the wild land firefighters, both our own Bonny Doon volunteers and CALFIRE, a chance to make a stand to stop the fire in areas where they would not have done so before. In concert with that effort the FSC has worked with the Braemoor Road neighborhood to assist their community organization in making that vulnerable area safer in the case of any wild land fire that may approach.

These projects were completed with grant money from our government and copious volunteer time from your neighbors who gave of their precious private time to assist in the planning, preparation and completion of the work required. Thank you all – your community is in debt to your efforts.

The FSC has been awarded another grant to extend that Shaded Fuel Break concept to another portion of our mountain that will act as a physical barrier to another Lockheed type size, or larger, fire. The same cast of characters is on deck to do the work but many need relief and this project is bigger still then the just completed one. If you have one day a month, or more, which you can take from your hectic schedule please consider using it to assist the Fire Safe Council complete another vital safety corridor.