CASCADEL WOODS — The Sierra National Forest community of Cascadel Woods has once again been certified as a Firewise Community by the National Firewise USA® Program of the National Fire Protection Association.
As the community has done since 2010, the residents of Cascadel Woods successfully completed the annual requirements of the program, which involve a community action plan based on a written wildfire risk assessment. Volunteers must complete minimum hours of wildfire mitigation work.
Throughout the year, led by Chairperson Carol Eggink and members of the Firewise Brigade Committee of Cascadel Mutual Water Company, property owners donate money and volunteer time to reduce fire fuel loads in the densely wooded 420-acre community situated 30 miles from Yosemite National Park at an elevation of 3,648 feet.
“If you are looking for proof that fuel reduction and preventative activities work, look no further than the community of Cascadel Woods,” said Yosemite/Sequoia Resource Conservation and Development Council (Y/S RC & DC) Project Manager Justine Reynolds in 2017.
Cascadel Woods has been evacuated many times during some of the regions most catastrophic wildfires. Thanks to heroic firefighting efforts and the ongoing prevention work of the Firewise Brigade, damage to structures—though tragic—has been kept below foreboding expectations.
“We applaud the hard work of the Cascadel Woods Firewise Brigade and congratulate them on earning Firewise USA® certification in 2022,” said Laura Bouche, president of the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary. “All residents in North Fork are much safer due the tireless efforts of Brigade Chairperson Carol Eggink and her team of volunteers.”
About Cascadel Woods
The Cascadel Firewise Brigade is a committee of the Cascadel Mutual Water Company, the nonprofit mutual benefit corporation responsible for providing water to the 134 homes in the community. Abundant wildlife thrives in this part of the forest. Whiskey Creek flows through the community and picturesque features include a cool, clear grass lined pond and a breathtaking waterfall that crashes down hundreds of feet on its way to the San Joaquin River.
Check out this short video on how to Firewise your home and property!
