By Michael Hunt
Chief of Staff
Oakland Fire Department
CAL FIRE Grant funds support effort to remove hazardous dead and dying trees in Oakland’s High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
Oakland, CA – Over the last month, tree crews have been working closely with the Oakland Fire Department (OFD) and the Public Works Department to advance the Skyline Boulevard Evacuation Corridor Project. The core focus of the project involves the removal of dead and hazardous trees along Skyline Boulevard, and the planting of one hundred and fifty (150) Oak trees to serve as shaded fuel breaks.
In December 2021, the City was awarded over $820,000 in new grant funding from CAL FIRE to selectively remove approximately 250 dead, dying, or otherwise hazardous trees, and selectively prune hazardous branches on trees lining or overhanging the Skyline Boulevard Evacuation Corridor, beginning at Shepherd Canyon Road and ending at Keller Avenue. These funds come from CAL FIRE’s budget available for distribution for fire fuels reduction projects such as the Skyline Boulevard Evacuation Corridor project. This work is now underway in advance of the time of year when the East Bay typically experiences extreme heat and high wind events. (Attached is the project area submitted to CAL FIRE)
“Consecutive years of drought have exacerbated the decline of many of these trees while increasing potential fire risk,” said Fire Chief Reginald Freeman. “These hazardous trees have created safety and traffic hazards that must be addressed to protect the functionality of the Skyline Boulevard Evacuation Corridor during a catastrophic event. The coordinated approach used to develop the plan paid off, and we are grateful that CAL FIRE trusts Oakland to get this important project done right.”
Expected outcomes for this project include:
· A substantial reduction in the number of dead and hazardous trees within striking distance of the public right of way on Skyline Boulevard between Shepherd Canyon Road and Keller Avenue.
· A substantial reduction in the chances of a wildfire crossing the Skyline Boulevard fire evacuation route by removing dead, hazardous trees in the undeveloped right of way.
· A substantial reduction in the ability for tree branches over Skyline Boulevard to carry fire.
· A substantial reduction in the fuel load along Skyline Boulevard, reducing fire intensity in the event of a wildfire evacuation.
· Woody biomass created by operations will be disposed of in ways to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. Logs will go to a green waste facility or be used as traffic barriers on nearby roads. Branches and brush will be chipped on-site and spread to inhibit the growth of grasses and other potential fire fuels. No woody biomass will be burned or landfilled.
· The 150 new oak trees planted for this project will replace the dead and dying trees removed from the treatment area and mitigate the aesthetic impact of tree removals. The oaks will eventually develop a shade canopy to discourage ground surface fuels. These trees will be planted and maintained during the three-year establishment period by OPW Parks & Tree Division and local volunteers.
“Wildfires are a natural part of California’s landscape, and the potential risk of wildfires impacting communities in and adjacent to forested areas is at an all-time high,” said David Moore, a Supervisor in the Oakland Public Works Department’s Parks and Tree Division. “This project is critical to helping us close a funding gap while addressing the backlog of dead, dying, or otherwise hazardous trees along Skyline Boulevard.
The anticipated timeline for the project's completion is March 2024 (per the CAL FIRE funding deadline).
In November 2019, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 87940 C.M.S. declaring Wildfire Prevention a top priority for the City of Oakland, and the City Administrator established a Wildfire Prevention Working Group. The group - which helped shape the grant application - consists of multiple City Departments and has been successful in its mission to identify opportunities to reduce wildfire risk in areas of Oakland that the State of California identifies to be in a Very High Fire Hazard Zone.
There are thousands of mature trees within striking distance of Skyline Boulevard along the seven-and-a-half-mile stretch between Shepherd Canyon Road and Keller Avenue. These trees are mostly Monterey pine, as well as eucalyptus, black acacia, coast live oak, and other species. Many of the Monterey pines have reached the end of their lifespan, and/or are becoming victims of ongoing drought conditions. On average, twenty to thirty mature Monterey pines have been dying in the project area each year, and this trend is accelerating in the face of ongoing drought conditions. It is common for these trees to lose limbs or uproot without warning, and their removal has been a steady, incremental task for several years. Hazardous trees are identified and selected for removal by Oakland Public Works Tree Services staff.
In a major high wind event, it is common for numerous large trees to fall across the Skyline Boulevard, requiring several hours to clear the roadway. High wind events in this area are often linked to low humidity and red flag warnings, which set conditions for potential fire hazards. The CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zone map rates the Oakland Hills area, which includes the Skyline Boulevard Evacuation Corridor, as a “Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.”
Six (6) Oakland fire stations in this region use Skyline Boulevard as their means to travel across the Oakland Hills and reach fires and medical patients. If Skyline Boulevard were blocked by a tree, tree branch, or fire during a fire emergency, this would hinder both residents from evacuating as well as hinder OFD from moving their resources into the scene of the fire. If OFD cannot access the fire, there is a greater chance that fire containment strategies will fail. Skyline Boulevard is the primary evacuation route across the Oakland Hills for 18,889 homes and 57,708 residents.
The assets along this Skyline corridor that could be affected by a catastrophic fire event include:
· Joaquin Miller Park, Joaquin Miller Community Center, the Woodminster Amphitheater
· The Chabot Space & Science Center
· The East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRP) Trudeau Center
· The Anthony Chabot Equestrian Center (14600 Skyline Boulevard)
· Skyline High School
· Sunrise of Oakland Hills, a senior housing and care facility that is home to over 150 senior citizens, many of whom are non-ambulatory.
· Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) high voltage power lines run throughout the Skyline Boulevard Evacuation Corridor; and
· 9 East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD) water reservoir tanks and facilities in numerous locations accessed from Skyline Boulevard.
“We want to congratulate the City for working to obtain this grant that will beautify the Skyline Boulevard corridor while making it a safer evacuation route in the event of an emergency, said Stan Wiesner, President of the Piedmont Pines Neighborhood Association.
