Venice: Pinebrook Park – Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Project 1/19

Scoop Publisher Francesco Abbruzzino

 

 

City of Venice

The Florida Forest Service will be performing wildfire mitigation work within the northern half of Pinebrook Park in Venice, beginning Tuesday, Jan. 19 and lasting for approximately 3 weeks. Residents are asked to avoid the northern portion of Pinebrook Park during this period. The work area is between Curry Creek and Water Street and is shown on the attached location map.

Pinebrook Park is a natural, heavily wooded park located at 1251 Pinebrook Rd. This natural forest land must be properly managed to limit the potential for harmful wildfires that could impact the surrounding residential structures. Currently the park has an overabundance of thick undergrowth, which represents unsafe levels of vegetative fuel and creates a hazard to the surrounding communities. City of Venice Fire Rescue and the Public Works Department have been working with the Florida Forest Service to develop the most appropriate strategy to mitigate this hazard. The Forest Service strongly recommends that the undergrowth is mulched down mechanically, leaving the large trees intact and therefore reducing the vegetative fuel source.

The alternative options are to perform a controlled burn or to leave the area natural and allow it to burn naturally. Performing a controlled burn is not recommended due to the proximity