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Commissioners discuss fire reconnaissance, reseeding plans and possible multi-year closure of Proctor Canyon Road
Summary
After a wildfire, county staff described reconnaissance flights, seeding strategy, $15,000 in seeding already applied, concerns about erosion and recommendation to keep Proctor Canyon Road closed for several years to allow vegetation to recover.
County public-works staff described aerial reconnaissance of the wildfire area, early reseeding and erosion-control planning and cautioned that some watershed roads may be closed for years as vegetation stabilizes.
Public-works staff said they flew over the burn and observed heavy vegetation loss in Doctor/Proctor Canyon and other watersheds. The county reported it has already applied about $15,000 worth of seed to rehab dozer lines and other areas, and county biologists and botanists are working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to tailor seed mixes for species and site conditions.
County staff said the seeding plan will vary by severity and substrate; parts of the burn zone are rocky (Claron formation) where seed establishment is difficult and erosion risk is higher. Staff said they are coordinating with a forest botanist and NRCS so the seed mix does not wash away and to target species appropriate to the soil and slope.
On roads, public-works staff warned that Proctor Canyon Road likely will not be maintainable for a couple of years and recommended closing it until vegetation stabilizes. They said storms will likely bond and scour roads during the recovery period and reopening too soon may waste county resources.
County staff also reported coordination on check-dam and sediment-capture work, including clearing old ponds to use as sedimentation basins and exploring WRI (watershed restoration initiative) funding to support culvert and drainage repairs.
No formal policy change was recorded; commissioners and staff discussed operational steps and directed staff to continue coordination with state and federal partners on seeding, erosion control and possible temporary road closures.
