The Great Basin Institute

Multiple Fires Have Burned Across the Sequoia National Forest Since 2015. the Forest Has Also Experienced Extensive Drought Conditions Resulting in High Levels of Mortality in Areas Not Burned in Recent Wildfires. Timber and Biomass Removal, and Fuels Reduction Is Needed to Help Prepare Sites for Reforestation. Projects to Address This Are on Hume Lake, Western Divide and Kern River Ranger Districts. the Windy and French Fire Recovery Project Increases Post-fire Treatments That Support Executive Order Mandates for Increased Timber Production by Removing Hazard Trees and Performing Site Preparation Through Fuels Reduction in High Severity Burn Areas Across the Fire Affected Landscape. Project Activities Include Timber Sale Preparation Tasks Such as Layout, Marking, Cruise, and Procurement and Utilization of Logging Services to Advance Forest Health on 1,200 Acres of Fire Impacted Lands. Projects on All Three Districts Including the Giant Sequoia Emergency Response, Last Chance Hazard Tree and Others Have Piles of Fuel That Still Need to Be Burned, in Part as Site Preparation for Reforestation. Areas That Suffered Drought and Are at Risk of the Next Large Wildfire Include the Hume Basin and Stone Pony Restoration Projects on Hume Lake Ranger District, and Rock Project on Kern River Ranger District, and Other Projects Currently Being Initiated on Western Divide Ranger District. These Projects Are Focused on Live and Dead Tree Removal to Improve Forest Health, and Fuel Reduction Activities Including Manual, Mechanical and Prescribed Burning to Maintain Fuel Breaks and Restore Fire Processes.