Public worried most by wildfire and landslide risks

An analysis of public comments opposing the proposed 224 acre Silver Estates logging plan near Guerneville shows that public safety is the top concern.

More than 300 public comments were submitted to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention (Cal Fire) before the public comment period closed on January 4. According to an analysis by the Guerneville Forest Coalition (GFC), 38 percent of comments concerned the risk to public safety, including the risk of wildfire and landslides.

“The comments show that people are really concerned that the logging of large, mature, fire-resistant trees, such as Redwoods and Douglas Firs, will increase, not decrease, fire risk,” said GFC member and local resident John Dunlap. “ The fact that logging will also occur on 60 landslide prone acres has just added to people’s concerns.”

Twenty-nine percent of comments raised concerns about the impact on local infrastructure, such as roads and culverts. Twenty-four percent focused on economic concerns, including the risk to tourism. Biological and environmental issues each accounted for 17 percent of public comments, including concerns for sensitive and threatened species, such as the Northern Spotted Owl and salmonids in the Russian River.

A decision by Cal Fire on the logging plan is expected shortly.