WASHOE COUNTY AND NEVADA LAND CONSERVANCY BEGIN HAWKEN FIRE BURN AREA REHABILITATION WORK
Reno, Nevada. October 31, 2007. Nevada Land Conservancy and Washoe County announced today the beginning of rehabilitation and restoration efforts for the Hawken Fire burn area, with the construction of sediment basins and the application of hydro mulch seed over 40 acres.
In late July, the Hawken Fire devastated 2,700 acres in southwest Reno, 72% on federal land and 28% on private land. In the aftermath, the burn area threatens the quality of the community’s drinking water, the safety of nearby homes from future fires, recreational access, and hundreds of acres of crucial winter habitat for mule deer along the Carson range of the Sierra. With the input of federal, state and county agencies, a plan has been created to rehabilitate soils and restore critical habitat in the burn area. This plan includes treatments to stabilize soils, clear stream channels, construct sediment basins, remove hazardous trees, replant 300 Ponderosa and Jeffrey pine trees, erect fences and signage, and reseed more than 500 acres.
The Hawken Fire recovery efforts on private land were initiated by local resident Jeannie Cassinelli, who leads the Hawken Fire Recovery Team consisting of roughly 75 individuals actively supporting the recovery process. Through their efforts, local non-profit Nevada Land Conservancy was brought on board to lead fundraising efforts, recruit volunteers, and provide project oversight. The Team has raised $470,118 for the total project (restoration on both public and private lands). Of the total amount of $470,118, $364,518 comes from the community as grants and donations from the groups listed below, and the remaining $105,600 is federal money.
Washoe County leads the design and implementation of the immediate treatments needed to prevent erosion and reseed habitat through the efforts of several departments, including Parks and Open Space, Public Works, and Fire Services. The U.S. Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe District is coordinating the treatments on federal land. Other project partners in this effort include the Caughlin Ranch Homeowners’ Association, City of Reno, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Nevada Fire Safe Council, and several funding partners.
Time is of the essence – many of the treatments need to be in place before winter precipitation, so work is now beginning with the construction of sediment basins and the hydro mulching of 40 acres behind homes. Tree removal will begin in November, aerial seeding later this winter, and hand planting of 300 trees in early spring.
"It is so crucial that we provide erosion control measures now," states Sonya Hem, Deputy Director of Nevada Land Conservancy. "We would hate to see part of the mountain slide into the Truckee River through Alum Creek. And that could impact the water quality for the entire Truckee Meadows."
In addition to water quality, the burn area is located directly in the middle of the winter range of the Truckee-Loyalton Mule Deer herd. Already stressed by previous fires on Peavine Mountain, the herd is receiving support from Nevada Bighorns Unlimited in the form of a $20,000 contribution towards the forage reseeding efforts. Aerial seeding of 500 acres in the upper elevations with sagebrush, bitterbrush and other forage species will occur this winter.
The threat of invasive grass species colonizing the burn area is also a serious threat, according to Kurt Latipow, Washoe County Fire Services Coordinator. "We have a one-year window of opportunity to combat the extremely invasive cheat grass that will grow in the burn area if we do not come in aggressively now," states Latipow. "Cheat grass is extremely flammable and it increases the intensity and spread of fires, which results in an increased threat to lives and property."
Hawken Fire Restoration Effort Donors
Truckee River Fund
Nevada Bighorns Unlimited
City of Reno Ward One Neighborhood Advisory Board
City of Reno Ward Five Northwest Neighborhood Advisory Board
The Phil and Jennifer Satre Family Charitable Fund at the Community Foundation of Western Nevada
The Ranson and Norma Webster Foundation at the Community Foundation of Western Nevada
Sierra Pacific Resources Foundation
Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation
Gaston & Wilkerson Management Group
Scenic Nevada
Lahontan Audubon Society
...and many donations from generous individuals!
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