Los Gatos group collaborates on reducing wildfire risk in the Santa Cruz Mountains

ONE GROUP IS CLEARING hundreds of acres of forestland in one of the largest wildfire risk reduction projects in Santa Clara County.

The Los Gatos Creek Watershed Collaboration recently began testing tools to clear brush and restore the forest’s ecosystem on 155 acres along Montevina Road. The effort is part of a larger initiative to treat 840 acres of forestland in the Santa Cruz Mountains and prevent wildfires in the high-risk zone near the Lexington Reservoir. The collaboration, which recently received a $6.9 million Cal Fire grant for the work, includes Midpeninsula Regional Open Space Preserve, San Jose Water and the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council and parks department.