Through a State Fire Marshall grant secured by Fire Chief, Wayne Painter, the City of Jacksonville was able to hire Civil West Engineering Services to oversee a contract with Grayback Forestry, Inc. to perform fuel reduction in Forest Park. The treatment involves vegetation cutting, thinning, pruning, hand-piling and cover, and, after a season of curing, pile-burning on 205 acres on the east side of Forest Park. The treatment area is approximately 2 miles long from the MRA boundary to the north running south to the P1 parking lot, all east of Reservoir Road.
The goal of this treatment is to provide an area of treatment that is strategically located and treated in order for fire suppression forces to have an increased probability of stopping and holding a wildfire spreading through the area toward or away from Jacksonville and rural properties in the area. The effect of the treatment is reduced potential fire behavior characterized by reduced risk of crown fire and spotting.
Work will continue this summer as long as fire restrictions allow and will re-start in the fall after restrictions relax. Pile burning will occur in fall and winter in close coordination with Oregon Department of Forestry’s smoke management staff to minimize the impact of smoke on residents.
For user safety, it is important for all users of Forest Park to honor and respect trail closures as the work continues. Please do not disturb any flagging you may find in the treatment area as it is there to help designate specific areas for the contractor. Always avoid areas were active chainsaw work is being performed, especially downhill of the work where debris my roll out below the treatment area.
Continue to enjoy Forest Park trails to the west of Reservoir Road where no work is being done.