NORTHSTATE, Calif. -- Sierra Pacific Industries is launching a significant new initiative to combat wildfires in California and Oregon. The company, which has previously invested over $40 million in building fuel breaks on its land, is now expanding its efforts to federal lands and local communities.
Mark Emmerson, CEO of Sierra Pacific Industries, the USDA and the US Forest Service announced a $75 million allocation towards a stewardship agreement to strategically place fuel breaks on national forests in the two states.
The project involves collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the USDA Forest Service, connecting to existing fuel breaks developed by the company over the past few years. "The fuel breaks are upwards of 800 feet wide, where we can reduce the amount of fuel, so the fires when they hit them, go to the ground," said Emmerson.
The initiative will cover 400 miles and 26,000 acres, with CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service assisting in finding the best locations for the 23 zones within the project. Emmerson highlighted the effectiveness of Sierra Pacific's fuel breaks in past incidents, noting their role in stopping the devastating 2024 Park Fire and the Camp Fire, the most destructive in California's history. "These fuel breaks work in the Camp Fire, which is the worst fire in California's history. Eighty-five people perished, 18,000 structures, over $16 billion of damage. That fire stopped on a Sierra Pacific fuel break," he said.
Emmerson emphasized the urgency of the project, citing recent wildfires in Southern California and beyond as a stark reminder of the threat. "We've seen 100 days of smoke here in Shasta County, and that is just not acceptable. We can be more aggressive on these fuel breaks so we can help reduce these fires," he said.
Sierra Pacific Industries is committed not only to installing more fuel breaks but also to maintaining them over time to protect both people and firefighters.