Laguna Beach details fuel-modification zones, goat grazing and planned new zones; seeks state cooperation on Crystal Cove lands

Laguna Beach public safety officials described the city—s fuel-modification program at a community workshop and said they are pursuing additional zones while seeking coordination with state land managers over adjoining parkland.

Fire Marshal Robert Montagami said the city manages 27 fuel-modification zones where open space interfaces with developed lots. "There are 27 zones and each zones are open space areas that interface with homes throughout our community," he said. He said about 10 zones are managed with goat grazing, and 15 zones in higher-value habitat are managed by Laguna Canyon Foundation using mechanical and hand treatments because goats are not permitted in sensitive habitat areas.

Montagami described Zone 1 (Dartmoor) as a roughly 31.2-acre area that is managed in part by goat grazing and in part by the local water department; hand crews also work near structures and water tanks. He said the program aims to reduce fuels near structures to allow more time for evacuation and to provide better access and defensibility for firefighters.

Interagency issues: several residents raised concerns that state-managed lands, including Crystal Cove State Park, were overgrown. Steven Gordon, president of the Irvine Cove homeowners association, said the mixed ownership of hillsides "makes us extremely vulnerable" and asked whether the city is creating a joint effort with county and state agencies. Montagami said some of the private association land immediately above Irvine Cove is covered by a Coastal Commission permit for fuel reduction under the association—s control, and that the city can reach out to state partners regarding land designated as State Responsibility Area (SRA). "We can reach out to our state partners and see what their plan or if there are any restrictions out there for them to manage that fuel," he said.

Planned expansions and priorities: Laguna Canyon Foundation and the fire marshal said they are working on new fuel-modification projects. Officials listed a near-term project in Lower Bluebird Canyon, planned work for Upper Bluebird Canyon, and two additional projects in Hobo Canyon and the Diamond Crestview neighborhood, which they said would complete a 2013 plan. Representatives also said an ad hoc wildfire preparedness committee and Laguna Canyon Foundation had preliminarily identified about 15 more areas across the city for review.

Why it matters: fuel modification reduces combustible vegetation near structures and provides defensible space for firefighting; however, management choices in coastal scrub and chaparral require trade-offs with habitat protection, slope stability and air-quality permitting.

Prescribed fire: a Laguna Canyon Foundation representative, Alan Kaufman, told residents that prescribed burns are generally not a feasible tool for the city—s coastal sage scrub and chaparral ecosystems because those fuels are difficult to control and because nearby populations and air-quality rules make prescribed burning risky.

Ending: officials asked residents with specific concerns, including maps or photographs, to email the fire marshal to help prioritize outreach and state coordination. They said they will continue submitting fuel-mod applications and will monitor any state-level procedural changes tied to recent executive direction on permits.