Meeting set Tuesday in Cove on fuels reduction project

COVE — People interested in the Cove II Wildland Urban Interface fuels-reduction project can attend an open house hosted by Kurt Wiedenmann, La Grande District ranger, from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Kimsey Commons at the Cove Ascension School on the corner of Church and Foster streets, in Cove.

The Cove project was identified in the 2005 Union County Community Wildfire Protection Plan as an urban wildland interface community within the vicinity of federal lands that is at high risk to impacts and loss from wildfires.

The La Grande Ranger District is considering a fuels-reduction project in this area to reduce fire risk.

“Anyone who would like to learn more about the project, discuss issues or concerns with Forest Service specialists or provide comments about the proposal is encouraged to attend the open house,” said Wiedenmann.

The Cove II WUI Fuels-Reduction Project encompasses approximately 19,518 acres in the Mill and Indian Creek areas. The southern portion of the project begins around Moss Springs, with the eastern edge running along the Eagle Cap wilderness, to the northern boundary near Camp Creek, and back down the western side along a Forest Service and private land boundary.

The project area encompasses Forest Road 6220, Mount Fanny and Point Prominence. The purpose of the project is to reduce fuel loadings on public lands, to modify fire behavior and reduce resource damage during wildfires, to improve firefighting opportunities and to increase firefighter and public safety.

For more information, call Mike Johnson at 541-962-8566 or stop by the La Grande Ranger District office at 3502 Highway 30, in La Grande, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.