JESUSITA FIRE HYDROMULCH INFORMATION PAGE
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. What is the hydromulch, and why is this being done?
A. Areas of the Jesusita Fire are being treated by hydromulch to reduce runoff and erosion this coming winter. The mulch protects the ground from rain impacts and surface erosion.
Q. What is in the Mulch?
A. The mulch is a combination of 60% Wood Fibers, 40% Paper, and an organic tackifier or the “glue” mixed with water. It comes out in the consistency of pancake batter. Also an organic green dye is added to aide in placement, the green dye fades away after a few days.
Q. Why by Air? Isn’t that expensive?
A. Most of the areas to be treated are remote and involve larger areas that are not feasible for ground treatment. Treatment by air can be faster than ground treatment. Aerial application is expensive but is the only real way to do this.
Q. Where are the aircraft flying from?
A. The aircraft are flying out of Santa Barbara Airport utilizing the vacant Forest Service attach base.
Q. Why are you not using seeds too?
A. Hydromulching, as opposed to hydroseeding does not use any seeds. Current practice recognizes there is an existing seed bank in place, the mulch help protect the hillside and allow the native vegetation to regenerate. Since most of the treated area is chaparral wild lands, the native vegetation is what we want to grow back. On private property / landscaping, hydroseeding is more common and irrigation is often used.
Q. How long will this last?
A. The work began on September 15th, and is estimated to take 22 days. Progress of the work is reported on the main hydromulching web page.
Q. Can the Planes fly a different route?
A. The aircraft are directed by the air traffic control tower, but in general, they are flying in the pattern they are flying to 1) get to the project site in a timely manner, and 2) to remain separated form other air traffic.
Q. Are commercial flights impacted?
A. The Santa Barbara Air Traffic Control tower is accommodating this additional traffic with little to no impact to commercial air service.
Q. What are the hours of operation? Are they flying weekends too?
A. The aircraft can fly sun up to sun down, however actual hours can differ day-to-day. In general, the aircraft are trying to avoid the more heavily populated areas before 9am and after 5pm weekdays, and before 11am and after 4pm weekends, but that may not be always possible.
Q. Is there any contaminants in the mulch?
A. The Mulch is an organic mixture. The project specifications require certified 100% contaminant free materials. The materials are screened at the manufacturer and are inspected at the point of assembly at the airport.
Q. Is the hydromulch harmful to animals?
A. No. The organic, non-toxic materials themselves are not harmful, and where the material hits the ground it only provides a coverage thickness measured in millimeters. Burrow holes, etc. are not rendered inaccessible. The coverage areas, while constituting 1,000 acres, are still rather limited in comparison to the overall region, providing animals plenty of area to roam. In addition, even though hydromulch is non-toxic, sensitive creek corridors have been removed from the hydromulch areas to limit contact with water and associated wildlife such as amphibians and fish.
Q. Why did you not treat my property?
A. The treatment of areas need to meet a host of criteria including the size of contiguous area; the slope of the ground; set backs from roads, buildings, utilities etc; and other criteria (rock cover, and burn severity for example).
Q. Why are you not doing all of the fire area?
A. Only areas that meet the many criteria listed above are candidates for treatment. Most of the higher elevations of the fire area do not meet these requirements as do many other areas. Also, areas inside the National Forest are not County jurisdiction and fall under the Forest Service’s program.
Q. Can the aircraft be used to fight fires while they are here?
A. The County has communicated to the US Forest Service that these resources are here and are available for immediate use. The County and its contractor are prepared to immediately suspend hydromulching and respond to a fire event if called upon by the Forest Service or CalFire.
