King Fire restoration proposals being sought

Eldorado National Forest is seeking comments as it prepares an environmental impact statement for the King Fire Restoration Project

There will be an open house Jan. 13 at the Best Western Plus Placerville Inn, 6850 Green Leaf Drive, Placerville from 6-8pm. A presentation on the proposed action will be followed by questions and answers with the planning team, and an opportunity to talk to specialists about specific aspects of the project including fuel reduction, tree salvage, reforestation, wildlife, watershed protection, and research.

The forest is currently proposing to treat 14,000 acres of national forest that burned with high severity.

The objectives are:

• Reduce risk from falling dead, dying, and defective trees;
• Reduce long term fuel accumulation in strategic locations to improve control of future fires;
• Restore diverse vegetation including conifer forests in a manner that improves future resiliency;
• Expeditiously remove fire killed timber to generate funds for restoration and contribute to the societal need for wood products;
• Take advantage of research opportunities to increase knowledge regarding the environmental effects of large fires, how to reduce the risk of future fires, and how to restore resilient forests.

A complete description of the proposed action and project maps is online, then click on King Fire Restoration Project.

Issues or concerns identified during the current scoping phase will be used to develop project alternatives prior to releasing a draft EIS. There will also be another comment period when draft EIS is released in the spring.