Fire Fuel Break West Of Lake Elsinore, Wildomar: County Signs Off

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — An agreement to continue maintenance of a fire fuel break above Lake Elsinore and Wildomar got unanimous sign-off Tuesday during the Riverside County Board of Supervisors meeting.

The Elsinore Front Country Fuel Break project, which has been ongoing for several years, is located in the mountains west of Lake Elsinore and includes the communities of Wildomar to the south and unincorporated communities to the north (Horsethief Canyon, Temescal Valley, and Trilogy). The project involves building fuel breaks that protect these communities from wildfires.

The contract signed off on Tuesday continues through March 15, 2022. National Wildfire Protection Service LLC was awarded the deal that is not to exceed $800,000.

The total project area is about 1,100 acres but some of it is on private property, and owner agreement is required before any clearing takes place.

In addition to lumber and brush removal, an herbicide treatment may be used, according to county documents.

Brush fires that burn on the Elsinore Front are known to be very treacherous for firefighters. "Extreme fire behavior" is not uncommon. The 1959 Decker Fire that burned 1,400 acres off the Ortega Highway, killing five firefighters and a ranger, led to changes in how to fight and manage blazes in the area and across the country.

The Elsinore Front Country Fuel Break project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that uses Cap-and-Trade dollars to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially near disadvantaged communities.