Quarry Park Shaded Fuel Break

The San Mateo RCD has partnered with San Mateo County Parks to create approximately 49 acres of shaded fuel breaks and 100 acres of hazard trees removal along fire roads within Quarry Park in the community of El Granada. The project is funded by a $1 million grant agreement awarded to the RCD from the Coastal Conservancy and will be carried out over three years starting in the summer of 2021.

This project will improve the ability of first responders to access potential fires via the fire roads in the park and conduct fire containment and suppression activities. The work is designed to modify fire behavior by reducing the rate of fire spread and the potential for canopy ignition, and to protect fire road infrastructure by removing hazard trees. The project will increase the wildfire resiliency for the community of El Granada, which is directly adjacent to Quarry Park, and additionally benefit the neighboring WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) communities of the Midcoast area.

Goal

The purpose of this project is to improve wildfire resiliency for the Midcoast of San Mateo County. Work performed will improve the ability of first responders to access potential fires via the fire roads in the park and conduct fire containment and suppression activities. This work may also modify fire behavior by reducing the rate of fire spread and the potential for canopy ignition. This will also increase the wildfire resiliency for the community of El Granada, which is directly adjacent to Quarry Park, and benefit neighboring WUI (Wildland Urban Interface) communities of the Midcoast area.

Implementation

This project will create shaded fuel breaks along fire roads by reducing understory vegetation and hazard trees. Hazard tree removal consists of strategically removing large diameter trees exhibiting significant structural defects or those declining in health and vigor. Understory vegetation removal will be conducted 100 feet from either side of fire roads in the park’s interior, covering approximately 55 acres. Hazard tree removal will be conducted 200 feet from either side of the fire roads and will cover approximately 100 acres.

Treatment will be conducted via mechanical methods using masticators and hand removal using chainsaws. Small diameter debris (up to 10-inch diameter) will be chipped and left on site to provide erosion control. Larger diameter debris and logs unable to be chipped or masticated will be dispersed within the landscape to provide habitat, or removed from the site. In addition to the physical removal of vegetation, herbicides may be used for cut stump application to prevent regrowth of eucalyptus trees. Native vegetation will be left on site where possible.

Timeline:

Year 1: Preliminary treatment of 9.5 acres of shaded fuel break (Figure 1) (completed September 2021)

Year 2: Treatment of 35 acres of shaded fuel break and 70 acres of hazard tree removal (completed October 2022)

Year 3: Treatment 10 acres of shaded fuel break and 30 acres of hazard tree removal (completed October 2023)

Year 4: An addition treatment of approximately 5 acres of shaded fuel break (anticipated to be completed by July 2024)

Partners:

• San Mateo County Parks
• Coastal Conservancy

RCD Contact: Erica Harris