CWPP PRIORITY #7 Community: North Fork
Location: Sections 13, 24 R22E, T8S; Sections 17, 18, 19, 20 R23E, T8S
Population: 76 dwelling units plus numerous outbuildings; commercial and light industrial buildings; governmental facilities; churches and schools
Specific Problems
- Large areas of heavy concentrations of grass and brush mingled amongst structures
- Many narrow roads with hazardous fuels encroaching one or both sides of the road within the community
Evacuation Routes
- West on Road 225 to Road 200 then southwest on Road 200 towards Highway 41
- West on Road 225 to Road 274 then north on Road 274 towards Bass Lake
Past Actions
- Roadside fuel reduction by, Cal Fire and Madera County Road Department with support from the Madera County Fire Safe Council and the Coarsegold Resource Conservation District on roads within and accessing the community
- Intermittent compliance inspections for PRC 4291 regulations by fire officials
Priority Mitigation Needs
- Citizen involvement to reduce fuels on their property and to utilize fire-wise construction techniques to improve structure survivability
- Identify and construct safety zones that can be used as temporary shelter-in-place areas for residents as well as fire personnel
- Continued roadside fuel elimination or reduction along roads within the community
- Construction of a fuel-break around the community utilizing past fuels reduction programs, prescribed burns, and parts of past fuel-breaks
- Implementation of a PRC 4291 compliance inspection program within the community
Education
Through homeowner association or town hall type meetings, develop and promote community specific programs designed to inform and involve the community on wildfire mitigation plans, escape routes, potential shelter-in-place locations, and activities that could reduce the risk to citizens, property and community assets.