Meetings/20181111 2

( John Hayes' notes )

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Rob Skinner welcomed Butano neighbors and introduced Cal Fire Forester Rich Samson.

Timber Harvesting vs Fire Suppression / Timber Harvest Plan / Modified Timber Harvest Plan / Will take years, not months

Need to hire a forester and create a Forest Management Plan. In "independent" forester might have a better market for timber.

Will also need to hire a licensed Timber Operator.

What happened with the Camp fire in Butte County could happen in the Santa Cruz Mountains if the conditions were right. Wind and dry conditions play the biggest role.

There are steps we can take to reduce that risk:

1. Access, Access, Access: Emergency responders need to get us out, and themselves in. Here are ways that we can improve our roads:

- We need to reduce choke points so that fire and water trucks can get it and we can get out.

- Escape routes should be planned. Escape routes should not be on foot. Our steep canyon walls make escape routes challenging.

- A second road will not be an option, so we will have to work to improve our existing roads. Adding "pull outs" will be important.

- Road should ideally be 12-15 feet wide. Wider roads also last longer.

- Some residents driveways could be "designated" pull out areas.

- First person out should leave the gate open. There is a key to the gate behind the bulletin board.

- Are our water hydrants standard thread, or do they need adaptors?

- Consider steel posts on either side of each hydrant, and painting hydrants with reflective paint.

- Joan will send the neighborhood map and emergency plan to Rich Samson.

- Pescadero High School would likely be an evacuation center.

- Since evacuations are often in the middle of the night, roads should have lines and reflectors.

- Better Signage: Strongly recommends better road signs and house numbers. Cotton has offered to design a standard curbside house number system, with 3” reflective numbers.

- Fire fighters would likely use the girl scout camp as a staging area. There would likely be 1-2 trucks deployed per house. Approximately 10,000 gallons per structure.

- Note that its possible that local engines and fire fighters may be at another fire in another part of the state. So responders may be from out of the area and won't know our neighborhood as well as the local fire fighters do.

- Cal Fire wants to help us with an evacuation plan. Kevin Pearson is the Captain in Pescadero. Kelly Nelson is the queen of grants for the Fire Safety Council, we should contact her.

- Emergency plan - CHECK. Thanks Emergency Preparedness Committee! Next meeting is on January 25th and Wendy's house.

- Be prepared to be stranded with no power for a minimum of 3 days.

- Remember that emergency responders need access not just for fires, but other emergency services as well.

- CalFire makes yearly visits for inspections. They used to make chimney inspections as well.

- Prepare a "Go Bag" (make sure its not empty like Barbara's ;)

- "Go Bag" should include: valuables, important paperwork, money, medications, breathing mask.

- A generator that runs off propane is a good idea, but needs to be professionally installed to be safe.

- Mark propane tanks with reflective tape. Propane companies are responsible for maintaining tanks.

- Ken suggested that we use Redwood Avenue as the "intake" road and Madrone Avenue as the "exit" road.

How can we improve fire safety through tree maintenance:

- Trees should be limbed up 15 feet high and 10 feet away from all roads. Consider hiring the roadside clean up.

- Remove "vulnerable" non-native trees.

- Remove debris piles. NOTE: There will be two debris boxes available over Thanksgiving weekend.

- Permits are requited for burn piles. Always call 911 if you see a burn pile.

- Redwood duff on the ground is good as it holds moisture in the ground.

- Raise branches and other "ladder fuels".

- Keep rooftops clean.

- Eliminate smaller trees, shrubs and low-mid level branches.

- Douglass Fir are not typically as healthy as Redwoods and not as "wind firm".

Unique challenges for Butano Canyon:

- We live in Marbled Murrelet territory, which might dictate the timing of when we can have tree and other work done.

- Also the San Francisco Garter Snake.

- Its challenging and more expensive to remove trees that are close to house.

- May face challenges with permitting with San Mateo County.

- Butano Creek is a Class One fishery. Trees within 100 feet of the high water mark are protected and will require special permitting.

- Permits would be parcel by parcel.

- Need a Forest Management Plan for the entire community.

Next Steps:

- Gather a list of potential Forest Managers.

- Interview Forest Managers, which will be the best fit to help us design and implement the right Forest Management Plan for Butano Canyon.

- Write Thank You letters to Bob Reynolds and Rich Samson.

- Invite all Butano Canyon neighbors to join our committee.

- There is a lot of overlap with the current Emergency Preparedness committee. Should we combine? How might we coordinate our efforts?

- Rob suggested that we might be able to purchase a used ATT bucket truck to keep in the canyon. This way we could do a lot of the limbing work on our own.