According to California regulators, the state has streamlined the permit process for obtaining approval for tree thinning projects.These projects are designed to reduce the danger posed by wildfires.

California Thins Brush In Massive Fire Reduction Effort

The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection used more than a decade of analysis on the potential environmental damage that may arise from thinning different vegetation in order to create a new vegetation management program. Under the new California wildfire prevention program, dry vegetation will be thinned away by crews using controlled blazes or chainsaws in order to reduce the amount of potential fuel available for wildfires.

Additionally, new vegetation thinning projects will be able to use the existing analysis, rather than undertaking a new analysis each time. This is expected to streamline the permit process necessary for brush-thinning projects to be approved.

Previously, these permits took three to five years to obtain. Under the new regulations, this timeline will be shortened to less than a year, allowing environmental protection projects to quickly get underway. According to state regulators, the recently streamlined process will help California to meet the state’s goal of treating 500,000 acres of non-federal land annually.

Brush-thinning projects remove flammable dry brush and grass from the landscape, reducing the risk of parched vegetation sparking and spreading wildfires. As many of California’s most dangerous wildfires were likely caused by sparks from faulty electrical equipment, removing dry brush and grass may make it harder for these sparks to spread into massive wildfires. According to the Salt Lake Tribune, more than 95 percent of the state’s wildfires are started by humans, rather than by nature.

California Wildfire History

Over the past several years, California wildfires have caused billions of dollars of damage, displaced thousands of residents, and destroyed communities. After the town of Paradise was decimated in November 2018 by the Camp Fire, approximately 90 percent of the residents were reportedly displaced.

Although residents of towns affected by wildfires may be able to rebuild their damaged homes, around 25 percent of the state’s population continue to live in areas deemed to be at high risk of experiencing wildfires. Due to the risk of fires, many residents are finding it hard to obtain home insurance, or are watching their insurance rates rise exponentially.

California already spends more than $200 million annually on fire prevention efforts. Over the past three years, California wildfires have killed 149 people and destroyed approximately 25,000 homes across 25 million acres. These dangerous blazes may destroy homes, outbuildings, fences, landscaping, and natural vegetation, as well as causing soil erosion.

If your home was damaged or destroyed due to a California wildfire, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for these damages. Even if your property insurer has already paid you a settlement sum, hiring a qualified attorney to review your case may still be useful. An attorney can help you to ensure that you have received all of the compensation you are entitled to.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.