Thinning Projects Planned in Mammoth Lakes, June Lakes
The Inyo National Forest announces plans to complete numerous mechanical thinning projects for community protection and forest health through the summer and fall.
These projects are designed to reduce fuels within Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). Thinning reduces wildfire spread and intensity by removing surface and ladder fuels. Additionally, treatments will promote openness of crown fuels to reduce the likelihood of a sustained crown fire, thus decreasing the risk of stand-replacing wildfire. This also creates an environment where firefighters can more safely respond to fire events.
Thinning also promotes forest health by increasing resiliency to insects and disease by reducing competition for water, nutrients, and sunlight. This is especially important during California’s extended drought where numerous trees are dying from insect infestations or water stress. Where applicable, restoration work will be completed to enhance aspen habitat.
The Forest Service will construct shaded fuel breaks (thinning and piling fuels to be safely burned in the winter months) on approximately 270 acres within the Mammoth Lakes area. Locations include Sherwin Lakes Trailhead, Old Shady Rest Campground, Mammoth Knolls, the Minarets Road/ Scenic Loop Road, and the Mammoth Mountain Ski Area (MMSA), north of chair 7. The MMSA project will be conducted after Labor Day to reduce impacts to recreational users. There will be delays or full closures on uptown/down town bike trails, shotgun bike trail, and the warming wall sport climbing area.
Approximately 240 acres of shaded fuel breaks are planned in the June Lake area near Silver Lake Tract, Clark Tract, Oh Ridge, and Gull Lake.
Six additional units totaling 700 acres are planned in other areas throughout the forest. The forest will create public firewood for 2016 in units not adjacent to town limits or recreational resident tracts.
For specific questions about the projects, please call Andrew Weinhart at 760-924-5550.