National forest officials resumed suppression repair work within the Smith River Complex last week. | Photo courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service

Map courtesy of the U.S. Forest Service

From the Six Rivers National Forest:

Gasquet, CA., April 29, 2024—As spring continues and weather conditions improve, suppression repair work resumes on the Smith River Complex in Del Norte County and will continue over the next few months, as conditions allow.

As repair work resumes, there will be an increase in large machinery and work traffic in the area. The public is reminded to use caution when driving near work sites. To provide for public and worker safety, some roads may be closed during repair operations. Please refer to the most recent road closure order for more information, closure orders can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/srnf/notices/?cid=FSEPRD1096395.

The Six Rivers National Forest is utilizing a fire organization to assist with managing the repair operations as the pace and scale of work increases. The organization will include local resources as they are available, as well as additional resources from off the forest.

At this time, approximately 70% of suppression repair work has been completed which includes, 47 miles of roads, 25 miles of handline, and 40 miles of dozer line. During the winter, repair work was paused due to weather conditions. However, the areas that were not completed received some repair work before winter hit to prevent damage to natural and cultural resources and to protect the Smith River Watershed over the winter. The Forest will work to complete the remaining 30% of project work over the course of the next few months, conditions and resources permitting.

“We understand the importance of the Smith River Watershed as well as the significance of cultural and natural resources on the landscape. For those reasons, we are working through the remaining repairs with intention and thinking strategically by prioritizing the work,” said Donna Peppin, Acting District Ranger, Gasquet Ranger District. “The focus is on getting the job done right with the appropriate personnel and equipment, as they are available.”

Work on roads in and around the fire area, such as maintenance of drainage features (cleaning culverts, ditches, etc.) and slope stabilization to prevent soil erosion, is occurring simultaneously under Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program funding authorized for the Complex. The Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) program is designed to address these types of emergency situations through its key goals of protecting life, property, and critical natural and cultural resources. BAER work is authorized up to one year post containment.

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