More than 200 acres treated, with 15 additional contracts awarded and dozens of projects advancing through 2027
Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC) has completed nine fire-prevention projects and treated more than two hundred acres across Lake County so far in 2026. The work is creating defensible space around community facilities and neighborhoods, thinning overgrown roadside vegetation, protecting important travel and evacuation routes, and strengthening the boundaries between communities and undeveloped land.
Fifteen additional project contracts have been awarded, with crews already working or preparing to begin soon. More contracts are in active bidding, and dozens of projects are advancing through planning for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027.
Completed projects include defensible space around Riviera Elementary School and more than twenty acres of treated landscape at the Adamson Ranch Fuel Break along the eastern edge of Clearlake. The first two phases of roadside work along Point Lakeview Road are also complete, improving visibility and giving emergency crews more room to operate. Work on Phases 3 and 4 is expected to begin soon.
Other completed work includes roadside projects along Watertrough and Mule Skinner roads in eastern Lake County, defensible space around Meadowood Nursing Center in Clearlake, the first phase of roadside work along Konocti Road, and defensible space along Panorama Drive in Lower Lake. Phase 2 of Konocti Road is expected to begin soon.
“Lake County residents are seeing the result of years of careful work that often begins long before a crew enters a project site,” said CLERC Executive Director Will Evans. “Every completed acre reflects cooperation among property owners, local contractors, fire districts, public agencies, partner organizations, and our staff. We are proud of the progress people can see today, but the need extends far beyond the projects currently underway. Our goal is to keep building a connected network of safer neighborhoods, stronger evacuation routes, and healthier landscapes across Lake County.”
Projects Underway Across the County
Crews have just wrapped up working on the northern portion of Bottle Rock Road from Coldwater Creek Road toward Highway 29. The southern portion of Bottle Rock Road is in the planning stage.
Work is also beginning along Harrington Flat Road near Boggs Lake, with additional sections farther along the road in the pipeline. A three-phase roadside project along Harbin Springs Road and Big Canyon Road is underway in collaboration with the South Lake County Fire Protection District.
One of CLERC’s largest current efforts is the six-phase Lower Avenues “paper lots” project in Clearlake. The project covers several hundred acres from approximately 18th Avenue south to Dam Road behind Walmart and the hospital. Planning has required communication and property coordination involving more than 1,400 vacant parcels, as well as work with the City of Clearlake Code Enforcement to address access, illegally dumped debris, and safety considerations in occupied areas.
Expected to continue into 2027, the project is intended to create a more defensible buffer for the city and reduce the potential for a fast-moving wildfire to reach nearby homes, as during the Boyles and Cache Fires.
Additional projects are being planned near Lakeport, Blue Lakes, High Valley Road, Clearlake Oaks and Glenhaven, and Spring Valley, along with future phases of work already underway elsewhere in the county.
Protecting Lake County’s Ecosystems
CLERC’s team of nine staff members within its Operations and Stewardship departments manages the planning, grants, contracts, landowner communication, biological surveys, environmental monitoring, and coordination required to move these projects forward.
Biologists survey for nesting birds, native and invasive plants, reptiles, amphibians, and other wildlife before and during project work. The team is also monitoring the spread of the Mediterranean oak borer, an emerging threat to Lake County’s oak woodlands. These efforts help reduce wildfire risk while protecting local species and habitats.
CLERC also continues work in the Mendocino National Forest through the North Shore Restoration Project, which encompasses approximately 40,000 acres affected by the 2018 Ranch Fire. In collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service and Patriot Restoration Ops, CLERC is supporting long-term forest recovery across the area. In 2026, crews removed burned, dead, and downed trees and logs from more than 100 acres and planted approximately 72,000 trees across 400 acres.
How Residents Can Help
Property owners can help prevent project delays by checking regularly to see whether their neighborhood is within a current CLERC project area. Crews may need a signed Right of Entry form before working on private property.
CLERC mails affected property owners an envelope bearing the CLERC logo, a Right of Entry form, and a business reply envelope. Residents may also complete the form online and view a weekly updated project map at theclerc.org/right-of-entry. CLERC continues to plan and expand project areas as funding allows.
Residents can also create defensible space on their properties and register eligible roadside brush piles for CLERC’s free Community Chipping Program at ChippingDay.org.
Community Wildfire Defense Grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture support much of CLERC’s current fire-prevention work. Work in the Mendocino National Forest is supported by CAL FIRE Forest Health funding. Additional work is funded by CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention funds. Donations help sustain programs without dedicated grant funding and expand CLERC’s capacity to develop projects and pursue funding for more Lake County communities.
To learn more or support CLERC’s work, visit theclerc.org.
About Clear Lake Environmental Research Center
The Clear Lake Environmental Research Center (CLERC) serves as a steward for environmental and economic sustainability of Clear Lake, its neighboring lands and waters, local communities, and beyond. CLERC is a Lake County-based 501c3 nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
