San Andreas, CA…Training for CAL FIRE Heavy Equipment Operators began yesterday within the 500 acre New Hogan VMP (Calaveras County) and will continue through May 8th. This feild training is essential for the operators and also will provided need community protection to the community of Rancho Calaveras.. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit is completing hazardous fuel reduction in cooperation with the CAL FIRE Training Center in the vicinity of Highway 26 and Hogan Dam Road within the community of Rancho Calaveras in Calaveras County from April 21st to May 8th, 2020.

The CAL FIRE Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Academy instructs students in the operation of heavy equipment for wildland fire suppression, as well as for fuels reduction in various landscapes. Training will occur on the New Hogan Vegetation Management Plan (VMP), which encompasses three fuels reduction units. This site provides excellent topography and vegetation to conduct field training for this academy. Each unit was selected for fuels treatment due to proximity to densely populated areas between State Highway 26 and New Hogan Reservoir in the Rancho Calaveras area. Additionally, each unit contains a high density of chaparral species where much of the brush exceeds six feet in height. Using heavy equipment during training to reduce these fuels will alleviate threat from damaging wildfire to the residential subdivisions adjacent to the VMP. Treatment of a portion of the approximately 500 acres included in the VMP will be completed during the Heavy Fire Equipment Operator Training.

The training is anticipated to begin daily at approximately 7:30 A.M. and conclude by 5:00 P.M. Monday-Friday. Operations will conclude at 10:00 P.M. during a portion of the identified dates to accommodate training for night operations. The public may observe dust or hear equipment during these times in the Rancho Calaveras area.

For additional information on preparing for and preventing wildfires visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org.
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Event occurs on 04/21/2020 from All Day to .