But te Fir e Pine Acres Fuelbreak Success Sttory - Amador ......Amador C Initial ma areas pro Canyon V Single tra fuelbreak (Loo e Pine Acre e overnight ade a conti ounty side ndatory

P

Pine

Ch

A

So

Pine Gro

But

e Acre

Succe

1

hris Post

CA

Amador-E

outh Divi

ove Yout

tte Fir

es Fue

ess St 

1/9/15

, Assista

AL FIRE

El Dorad

sion Ope

th Conse

re

elbrea

tory 

ant Chief

do Unit

erations

ervation

ak

f

Camp

Fuelbrea

The Pine

reduction

has been

the Amad

The prim

along the

fire supp

Begun in

Acres Fu

runs alon

the City o

Subdivis

ak Backgro

e Acres Fuel

n project with

n maintained

dor Fire Safe

mary goal of t

e rim of the M

ression and

n 2002 and fu

uelbreak is a

ng the rim of

of Jackson to

ion.

und

break is a C

hin unincorp

d through the

e Council an

this project h

Mokelumne

structure de

unded by a v

approximatel

f the Mokelu

o Highway 8

Community W

porated Ama

e cooperativ

nd approxim

has been to

River Canyo

efense opera

variety of gra

y eight miles

mne River C

88 just east o

1 

Wildfire Prote

dor County

ve efforts of t

ately forty p

create a sha

on, utilizing t

ations in the

ant funding s

s in length, a

Canyon from

of the comm

ection Plan (

that was con

the CAL FIR

rivate landow

aded fuelbre

topographic

e event of a w

sources thro

averages thr

m the PG&E

munity of Pine

(CWPP) wild

nceived, con

RE Amador-E

wners.

eak, strategic

features inte

wildfire.

oughout its’

ree-hundred

Tabeaud Re

e Grove and

dland fire fue

nstructed an

El Dorado U

cally placed

ended to su

life, the Pine

d foot wide a

eservoir eas

d the Pine A

els

nd

nit,

pport

e

nd

st of

cres

The Pine

Mokelum

Subdivis

The proje

Chaparra

indicates

inhabitan

Fuels tre

Youth Co

Approxim

removal

e Acres Subd

mne River Ca

ion.

ect area con

al vegetation

s that the Pin

nts from pote

eatment has

onservation

mately 80% h

has been co

division is sit

anyon. The

nsists of Oak

n with a large

ne Acres Fue

ential wildlan

been compl

Camp, as w

has been co

ompleted pri

tuated on a

fuelbreak w

k Woodlands

e number of

elbreak defe

nd fire sprea

eted primari

well as by me

ompleted by

marily throu

2 

plateau that

raps directly

s, low elevat

f homes scat

ends approxi

ad northward

ily by CAL F

echanical me

hand and 20

gh piling, bu

t rests direct

y around and

tion pockets

ttered throug

imately 1,00

d out of the M

FIRE hand cr

eans with ma

0% by mech

urning and c

tly along the

d adjacent to

of Ponderos

ghout. 2010

00 homes an

Mokelumne

rews from th

asticators an

hanical treatm

hipping on s

north rim of

o the Pine A

sa Pine and

0 Census Da

nd 2,400

River Draina

he Pine Grov

nd dozers.

ment. Final

site by fire cr

f

Acres

ata

age.

ve

fuels

rews.

Initially c

was deve

2005, wit

to ultimat

The fuelb

updated

again in 2

It is intere

proposal

ompleted in

eloped into a

th the intent

tely bring the

break was m

during the s

2016.

esting now t

s regarding

2003-2004

a more comp

of treating a

e fuelbreak t

maintained an

summer of 20

to note that m

what constit

as a three-h

prehensive V

additional ac

to the bottom

nd improved

015 and is s

many proper

tuted adequa

3 

hundred foot

Vegetation M

cres through

m of the can

d again in bo

slated for add

rty owners in

ate fuels mo

t wide shade

Managemen

various mea

yon at the M

oth 2006 and

ditional main

n 2002 were

odification an

ed fuelbreak

nt Plan (VMP

ans and sign

Mokelumne R

d 2011. The

ntenance an

e initially res

nd removal o

k only, the pr

P) project in

nificant wide

River itself.

e VMP was

nd improvem

istive to

of vegetation

roject

ening

ment

n.

4  

Another intent of continued work on the fuelbreak as a VMP is long term positive response tree

growth as a result of reduction in tree density from pre-treatment and prescribed fire effects.

Past area fuels project history shows that following the introduction of prescribed fire and related

fuels treatments, development of an open and park like condition of various species that is free

of significant ladder fuels will follow.

In addition to reducing vegetation density and providing enhanced protection to residential

structures and communities at risk from the spread of wildland fire into the Pine Grove area, the

Pine Acres Fuelbreak was also designed to protect an important portion of the Mokelumne River

watershed that provides water to the downstream Pardee and Camanche Reservoirs.  

Pardee and Camanche Reservoirs provide 90% of the water that goes to the East Bay

Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). EBMUD's water system serves approximately 1.3 million

people in a 331-square-mile area of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, including the major

cities of Oakland and Berkeley and east to Walnut Creek and the San Ramon Valley. 

Protection of these watershed values provide benefits that reach far beyond the boundaries of

the project area and the Amador-El Dorado Unit.

Butte Fire Background

The Butte Fire (CA-AEU-024918) was reported on September 9, 2015 at 1425 hours.

It was dispatched as a vegetation fire approximately four acres in size located in the State

Responsibility Area in southern Amador County on Butte Mountain Road near the intersection of

Butte Mountain Cutoff Road southeast of Jackson and just west of the Pine Acres Fuelbreak.

The Butte Fire quickly transitioned from an extended attack into a Major Incident, crossing the

Mokelumne River and burning into and primarily in Calaveras County. The Butte Fire burned a

total 0f 70,760 acres and ultimately damaged or destroyed almost five hundred homes, resulted

in two civilian deaths. It is currently listed as the seventh most destructive fire in California.

Butte Fir

Of the Bu

Of the Bu

perimete

Approxim

utilizing t

re Relations

utte Fire’s 70

utte Fire’s ap

r of the Pine

mately 3.3 m

the Pine Acr

ship to the

0,760 acres,

pproximately

e Acres VMP

iles of the B

res Fuelbrea

Pine Acres

, approximat

y 3,680 acre

P.

Butte Fire pe

ak. There we

5 

Fuelbreak

tely 3,680 ac

es in Amador

rimeter cont

ere NO struc

& VMP

cres are in A

r County, 1,4

trol line can

cture damag

Amador Cou

458 acres a

be directly a

ges or losses

nty.

re within the

attributed to

s in this area

e

a.

Butte Fir During th

the fire m

Amador C

Initial ma

areas pro

Canyon V

Single tra

fuelbreak

(Loo

re Pine Acre

he overnight

made a conti

County side

andatory eva

otected by th

View Drive a

ack dozer lin

k the first nig

oking West f

es Fuelbrea

hours of Se

nual push to

of the river.

acuations we

he Pine Acre

and Fig Tree

ne was cons

ght of the fire

from Bedegr

ak Success

eptember 9th

o the east up

ere ordered d

es Fuelbreak

e Lane.

tructed direc

e and held.

rew Property

6 

es

and into the

p the Mokelu

during exten

k west of the

ctly along ar

It was later

y towards Po

e fire’s secon

umne River d

nded attack

e Ponderosa

reas previou

improved.

oint of Origin

nd day on S

drainage on

along the we

a Way in the

sly treated a

n. See Map

eptember 10

the north an

estern portio

vicinity of

as part of the

p on Page 8)

0th,

nd

on of

e

Defensiv

directly a

cooperat

(Defen

ve firing was

along the fue

tors in the in

sive Firing o

(Note Low

conducted w

elbreak adjac

itial construc

on Direct Edg

Intensity Bu

with no addi

cent to resid

ction and on

ge of Fuelbr

urn Firing Re

7 

tional pre-tre

dences whos

n-going main

reak to Right

esults on Elli

eatment in o

se property o

ntenance of t

t of Elliot Dri

iot Property.

order to save

owners parti

the fuelbrea

riveway. See

See Map P

e structures

icipated as

k.

e Map Page

Page 8)

e 8.)

 8 

During th

operation

progress

river.

At approx

below an

This prom

Highway

(

he day and o

ns held the f

sion up the M

ximately 140

nd in slope a

mpted the la

88.

(Screen Sho

overnight ho

fire in check

Mokelumne R

00 hours on

alignment wit

arge scale ev

ot of Field Ma

urs on Septe

along the P

River drainag

September

th the Pine A

vacuation or

ap with Estim

9 

ember 10th,

onderosa W

ge keeping t

10th the fire’

Acres Subdiv

rder for the c

mated Fire P

fire suppres

Way and slow

the fire low o

’s edge was

vision in the

community o

Perimeter on

ssion efforts

wed its’ eastw

on the slope

reported to

Clinton Bar

of Pine Grove

n 9/10 at 140

including do

ward

e and near th

be directly

r Road area.

e south of

00 hours)

ozer

he

.

The effor

allowed d

the area

(T

The fuelb

ahead of

(E

rts to hold th

dozer improv

of Quail Driv

The End of Q

break also p

f the inevitab

End of Quail

he fire in che

vements to b

ve and Clint

Quail Drive o

rovided pre-

ble uphill fire

Drive Lookin

eck and slow

be made to t

on Bar Road

on the Fuelb

-treatment o

e run towards

ng Towards

10 

w the eastwa

the fuelbrea

d prior to 120

break on Rim

pportunities

s the subdiv

End of Clint

rd progressi

ak directly ad

00 hours on

m of Canyon

for the Very

vision as note

ton Bar Roa

ion on Septe

djacent to the

n September

. See Map P

y Large and

ed by visible

d. See Map

ember 10th

e subdivisio

r 11th.

Page 12.)

large Airtan

e retardant.

p Page 12)

n in

kers

On day t

Acres Su

evacuate

fuelbreak

afforded

(Looking

(Fire R

hree of the f

ubdivision ea

ed. Dozers h

k due to the

the opportu

g West from

Reaching Qu

fire at 1217 h

ast of the Po

had remaine

reduced fue

nity to scout

m the End of

uail Drive Lo

hours on Se

onderosa Wa

ed ahead of

el loading. S

t and prep th

Quail Drive

ooking East T

11 

eptember 11t

ay. The com

the fire and

Several Engi

he subdivisio

directly in fro

Towards Clin

th the fire ma

mmunity of P

were able to

ne Strike Te

on in advanc

ront of the Ho

nton Bar Ro

ade its’ run t

Pine Grove h

o improve th

eams were in

ce of the fire

ouse in Pictu

oad. See Pic

owards the

had already b

he pre-existin

n place and

front arrival

ure on Page

cture Page 1

Pine

been

ng

l.

e 10)

10)

(Sam

(The

me Location

full force of t

n Looking Ea

the head fire

ast Towards

12 

e run hit the

Clinton Bar

fuelbreak at

r Road Appro

t 1224 hours

oximately 4

s.)

hours later.)

)

The initia

lifted all s

structure

Once the

operation

smolderi

There we

(Note R

al convective

smoke and e

es on the rim

e fire’s conve

ns were cond

ng debris no

ere no struct

Referenced L

e column fro

embers verti

of the cany

ective colum

ducted over

ow scattered

ture damage

Locations of

m the fire’s

ical and likel

yon along the

mn cooled an

several hou

d throughout

es or loss in

f Quail Drive

13 

run to the to

ly prevented

e fuelbreak’

nd collapsed

urs to seek a

the subdivis

the Pine Ac

and Clinton

op of the can

d any direct i

s direct edg

, fire front fo

and destroy t

sion near the

cres Subdivis

n Bar Road,

nyon and into

impingemen

e at the end

ollowing struc

those embe

e fuelbreak.

sion.

Fuelbreak a

o the fuelbre

nt on those

d of Quail Dr

cture defens

rs and

and Fire’s Ed

eak

rive.

se

dge)

Over the

County w

the Pine

location a

damage

(Previo

(Loo

following op

was construc

Acres Fuelb

allowed fire

to Roaring C

ous Treatme

oking South

perational pe

cted using a

break plan co

crews to con

Camp, a sign

ent Used as

from Top of

eriods, the fi

check line lo

onnecting th

nduct a succ

nificant local

Final Contro

f Previous Tr

14 

re’s ultimate

ocation prev

he top of the

cessful firing

l landmark a

ol Line Circle

Treatment Are

e easternmo

viously ident

ridge to the

g operation,

and tourist at

ed in Red, R

rea Ultimatel

ost control lin

tified as an in

e river. This

hold the line

ttraction loca

Roaring Cam

ly Used as C

ne in Amado

ntegral part

pre-designa

e and preven

ated on the

mp is Blue St

Control Line)

or

of

ated

nt

river.

tar)

)

15  

Summary The Pine Acres Fuelbreak is a CWPP wildland fire fuels reduction project that was constructed

and has been maintained through the cooperative efforts of the CAL FIRE Amador-El Dorado

Unit, the Amador Fire Safe Council and approximately forty private landowners.

Begun in 2002 and funded by a variety of grant funding sources throughout its’ life, it was

initially completed in 2003-2004. It was converted to a VMP in 2005 and maintained and

improved again in both 2006 and 2011.

It stretches over seven miles and consisted of approximately 300 treated and maintained acres

prior to the Butte Fire.

Fuels treatment has been completed primarily by CAL FIRE hand crews from the Pine Grove

Youth Conservation Camp along the majority of its’ length adjacent to the Pine Acres

Subdivision. Additional masticator and dozer treatment projects have also been coordinated by

the Amador Fire Safe Council in and around the Ponderosa Way.

The primary goal of this project was to create a shaded fuelbreak intended to support fire

suppression and structure defense operations in the event of a wildfire coming out of the

Mokelumne River Canyon.

On the first four days of the Butte Fire September 9th through September 12th, 2015 it did just

that.

The Pine Acres VMP was updated during the summer of 2015 and the remaining areas of the

fuelbreak unaffected by the Butte Fire are slated for additional maintenance and improvement

again beginning in 2016.

On the D

(Aerial

Perform

Credits The follo

maintena

Tod Dorr

Scott Wa

Jim Simm

Craig Os

Cathy Ko

Eldon Ro

Ron Mon

Tom Low

Chris Wa

Patrick M

Pine Gro

Day it Matte

l Photograph

med Succes

wing individ

ance of the P

ris, CAL FIR

atson, CAL F

mons, Amad

stergaard, Am

oos Brazeal,

odman, Roa

nk, Registere

wrie, Registe

aters, Regist

McDaniel, Re

ove Camp Yo

red

h Taken Bef

ssfully in and

uals were in

Pine Acres F

E Pine Grov

FIRE Pine G

dor Fire Safe

mador Fire S

Amador Fir

ring Camp M

ed Professio

ered Profess

tered Profes

egistered Pro

outh Conser

fore the Butt

d around Qua

nstrumental i

Fuelbreak an

ve Youth Co

Grove Battalio

e Council, CA

Safe Counci

re Safe Coun

Mining Comp

onal Forester

ional Forest

ssional Fores

ofessional F

rvation Camp

16 

te Fire. Red

ail Drive and

n the develo

nd deserve s

nservation C

on Chief (Re

AL FIRE Am

l (Former Bo

ncil, Executi

pany & Pine

r

ter

ster, CAL FI

Forester, CA

p, Current &

d Arrows Poi

d Clinton Ba

opment, sup

special recog

Camp Divisio

etired)

mador-El Dor

oard Membe

ve Director

Acres Deve

RE Battalion

L FIRE Fore

& Former Fire

int to Treatm

ar Road on S

pport, constru

gnition.

on Chief (Re

rado Unit Ch

er)

elopment Co

n Chief

ester 1

e Crew Cap

ment Areas th

September 1

uction and

etired)

hief (Retired)

ompany

tains and Cr

hat

1th)

)

rews