"Outgoing San Ramon Valley Fire Protection Chief Paige Meyer sent a letter Tuesday to the offices of Gov. Gavin Newsom and State Parks director Armando Quintero, harshly criticizing what he said were obstacles that prevented firefighters from removing vegetation from a 300-acre high-risk area above the Blackhawk community. The letter accused California officials of the near-complete dismantling of a life-safety strategy that aligns with the state's own determination of which areas pose the greatest risk for wildfires."
"When we started working with them they started bringing up the manzanita, the whip snake, the Native American burials they dragged their feet, Meyer said in an interview Wednesday, his last day as chief before retirement. If they're going to prioritize manzanita, the whip snake, and burial grounds over the lives of our residents, then just say it. The dispute highlights conflicts that have arisen as climate change has driven increasingly large and frequent wildfires in California"
San Ramon fire officials say State Parks blocked efforts to clear vegetation from a 300-acre high-risk area above Blackhawk, delaying wildfire hazard reduction. The fire chief claimed State Parks raised concerns about manzanita, a whip snake, and Native American burial sites, obstructing removal work. A letter to Gov. Newsom and State Parks director accused officials of dismantling a life-safety strategy aligned with state risk determinations. The dispute underscores tension between public-safety actions and protections for wildlife and cultural resources amid worsening climate-driven wildfires and rapidly expanding home development in fire-prone zones.
#wildfire-mitigation #vegetation-clearing #protected-species-and-cultural-sites #state-local-agency-conflict
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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