The following is a press release issued by the City of Ukiah:
The City of Ukiah is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a $7,214,766 grant to conduct wildfire mitigation work in the Ukiah Valley and surrounding areas. This grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Community Wildfire Defense Program will increase fire resiliency through the addition of new and maintenance of existing fuel breaks and other fire prevention efforts.
The “Ukiah Valley and Mendocino Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project” will include hiring a crew of 11 people who will conduct defensible space inspections, maintain current fuel breaks in shaded and non-shaded areas, perform defensible space work, conduct prescribed burns in appropriate areas to restore fire adapted ecosystems, conduct project assessments, engage the relevant impacted communities, and increase community fire resiliency in the Ukiah Valley area and throughout Mendocino County. The five-year project will be managed by the Ukiah Valley Fire Authority. The Fire Authority will coordinate activities with the Mendocino County Fire Safe Council, CalFire, local Mendocino County Fire Safe Districts, and the County of Mendocino.
Ukiah Valley Fire Authority Chief Doug Hutchison states, “Mendocino County has suffered devastating losses from wildfires in recent years. While wildfire will never be completely avoidable, activities like those paid for by this grant can significantly reduce the spread of a fire and decrease the damage to people, property, and the environment. Our community will be safer because of this project.”
This grant-funded project also addresses one of the climate-related initiatives adopted as part of City of Ukiah Resolution 2022-44, to “protect from dangerous emissions by preventing fires.” Specifically, the City has pledged to “engage in multi-jurisdiction activities to reduce the risk of future fires throughout the County, including the acquisition of open space, putting in firebreaks, and clearing fuel.”
Mayor Mari Rodin expressed her appreciation for the award, stating, “The City of Ukiah is immensely grateful for this grant from the USDA. This project will help us to maintain a safe environment for our residents and preserve the natural beauty of our area. We look forward to working with our partners to implement this important project.”
I think this is wonderful, but where are the planting of trees for the future?
That won’t happen. They’ll set up committees to “study” the issue whilst stuffing their, and their cronies, pockets with taxpayer cash. That would be the same taxpayer cash they collected by threat of confiscation. It’s a world of givers and takers, and guess what side of the equation the bureaucracy falls on.
Mitigate. My favorite word. It means to sound like somethings happening when it’s not.