TUD Completes Critical Fuels Reduction Project by Tuolumne Utilities District Jun 6, 2024 Member Submitted News Tuolumne Utilities District (TUD) is pleased to announce the successful completion of the TUD Critical District Fuels Reduction (Phase 2) Project, which reduced hazardous fuel loading around the Twain Harte Wastewater Treatment Facility. The $160,522 project, funded by a grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Climate Investments Wildfire Prevention Grant Program, treated 22.2 acres around the critical wastewater infrastructure using a combination of hand thinning and mastication. This strategic effort has made the facility more resilient and better able to withstand a wildfire event, demonstrating TUD’s ongoing commitment to community goodwill by enhancing safety and resilience for not only the facility, but the surrounding residential area. “TUD sees investing in critical infrastructure protection as a key strategy for building community wildfire resilience,” said TUD General Manager, Don Perkins. The TUD Critical District Facilities Fuels Reduction Project is part of the district’s broader efforts to reduce community wildfire risk and protect its water and wastewater infrastructure. The district aggressively seeks grant funding to fund much needed projects like this, with the completed project being the second CAL FIRE grant-funded project the district has undertaken which included performing fire protection and resiliency on eight critical water storage facilities throughout the TUD service area in a year. Additionally, the district is currently working with a consultant to develop a Wildfire Defense Plan and a Wildfire Protection Draft Points Plan, both grant funded and focused on wildfire risk for TUD water systems and surrounding lands. Key objectives include mapping essential district, community, and natural resources and identifying and prioritizing specific locations and opportunities to manage the system for protecting water resources and community assets. The Draft Points Plan will evaluate water draft points of raw-untreated water and determine the highest priority locations for water drafting to enhance community wildfire protection.
