A Northern California community leveled by a deadly fire was selected to receive an $836,000 state grant for pruning vegetation and clearing fuel from potential fire spots two years ago. But local officials say the forest management project was never completed because of red tape.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that now officials wonder if having cleared potential fuel could have changed the fortunes of Berry Creek in Butte County.
Butte County officials say the delay was due to stringent environmental reviews, despite this being exactly the kind of fire-prevention work at the forefront of the state’s wildfire conversation.
