State funding will improve fire safety of High Drive Bluff | Environment

New state funding will help reduce the risk for fire in a neighborhood’s backyard. Department of Natural Resources is delegating $50,000 to the city of Spokane to hire contract workers to trim and prune the trees along the High Drive Bluff.

The contracted work will help up to 50 acres of the bluff stay healthy through vegetation trimming. After that work is complete, there will still be about 120 acres to go.

The process of trimming vegetation creates space between trees for aerial fuel breaks so if there is a fire, it can’t hop from tree to tree on the crown. The maintenance also reduces the risk of pine bark beetles and mistletoe.

DNR’s documented plan projects trimming about five feet between tree crowns, favoring Douglas Firs and Ponderosa Pine. Trees will be pruned at about ten feet high in the designated acreage and will live at least 50% live crown.

Debris from chippings will be scattered.

Forest work is expected to begin in September, but neighborhood volunteers will be on the bluff throughout the summer pruning away. If you plan on helping, bring work gloves and plenty of water for two hour work sessions on the following dates:

• Tuesday, August 14 - 6:30 pm
• Tuesday, August Aug 28 - 6:30 pm
• Thursday, September 6 - 6:30 pm
• Saturday, September 8 - 9:00 am
• Thursday, September 13 - 6:30 pm
• Wednesday, September 19 - 6:30 pm
• Tuesday, September 25 - 6:30 pm
• Thursday, October 4 - 6:30 pm
• Tuesday, October 9 - 6:30 pm