By JP Crumrine

The Board of Supervisors have been asked to approve– at their November 18 meeting–a $300,000 contract to reduce hazardous fuels at the Idyllwild Regional Park and Valley Hi Oak Reserve.

The work will remove hazardous trees and vegetation to reduce the risk of fire hazard at both locations. The overall project goal is to reduce fire hazards while preserving a diverse age class of trees, maintaining a healthy native plant understory, controlling spread of invasive plants, conserving important wildlife habitats, and maintaining healthy, mature trees.

The plan is for the work to be completed by March 15, 2026.

The Request for Proposals was issued September 24 and the response due by October 15. The Agency accepted the lowest bid from United Tree & Environmental, Inc., of Colton, for the amount of $299,950.

The Open Space District requested that the Board approve an amount of $799,950 in case of problems and hurdles during the work. The higher amount would be available in case potential unforeseen conditions and terrain-related challenges unique to the Idyllwild Regional Park project area occur during the fuels removal.

“This proactive approach ensures that adequate funding is available to address any site-specific complexities without causing delays or requiring future contract amendments,” the District told the Board. The District plans a meeting at the Idyllwild Nature Center to discuss the project. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 19, at 6:00 p.m.