Wildfire Prevention Cheaper Than Remediation

It’s a stark contrast between bringing back a forest devastated by a wildfire and taking action to establish a healthy watershed before disaster strikes. And the Nevada Irrigation District says prime examples are a comparison between their work to remediate the destruction caused by the River Fire, which occurred two years ago, and projects to thin trees and reduce fuels around Scotts Flat Reservoir. Environmental Resources Administrator, Neysa King, says NID recently hosted members of the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and aides of local state legislative representatives. And she says prevention is also more cost-effective. Their River Fire remediation will cost 47-hundred dollars an acre versus 25-hundred-dollars for their Scotts Flat prevention work…

click to listen to Neysa King

Meanwhile, King says there are already signs of recovery where the 150 acres were scorched by the River Fire, that began at the Bear River Campground in Placer County. There were more sightings of green underbrush and small oak trees, although the 500 acres of treatment at Scotts Flat is much more impressive…