KING CITY — King City Council has approved the Riverbed Wildfire Prevention Plan, along with its associated Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program — a significant step toward bolstering wildfire safety in the region.
This ambitious initiative, detailed in a 400-page document, aims to reduce wildfire threats along critical areas of the Salinas River and San Lorenzo Creek.
The plan, which received a funding boost of $224,000 from Cal Fire as part of a fire prevention grant, was developed by the EMC Planning Group in collaboration with Deer Creek Resources. It is designed to evaluate and mitigate potential wildfire hazards in areas that have experienced multiple fire incidents in recent years.
Community Development Director Doreen Liberto presented the plan to the council on March 11, emphasizing that King City is classified as being at high risk of catastrophic wildfires, according to Cal Fire’s 2019 Communities at Risk List. The area has witnessed a troubling trend in wildfire activity, with four significant fires ignited in and around the project area over the past five years.
Notably, the King Fire in 2022 was an arson-related incident that tragically resulted in one death, underlining the pressing need for effective wildfire prevention strategies.
“The plan analyzes wildfire hazards along portions of the Salinas River and San Lorenzo Creek and makes recommendations on reducing potential wildfire-caused losses within the community,” according to Liberto’s report to the council. “Areas were prioritized for hazard reduction based upon several factors, including potential wildfire behavior, density of structures, proximity to wildland vegetation and prevailing fire-season weather and winds.”
The project area encompasses 179 acres in the Salinas River floodplain and San Lorenzo Creek, bordering the southern and western city limits that include residential, commercial and agricultural parcels. While there are no permanent structures within the project area itself, approximately 70 structures are located at its immediate edge.
The Riverbed Wildfire Prevention Plan outlines various strategies, including the establishment of a 100-foot community fuel break along vegetation-rich edges adjacent to structures. In addition, invasive species management will be key in reducing fire risks, with specific focus on the removal of arundo, tamarisk and yellow starthistle, which have been identified as significant contributors to fire hazards.
“For most of the project area, the fertility of the soils, availability of shallow groundwater, frequency of major flood disturbances, abundance of noxious weeds and absentee landownership all work together to create vegetation conditions which are extremely difficult or impractical to manage,” stated the report. “Wildfire hazard reduction work should focus on actions needed to reduce vegetation in the first 100 feet out from structures adjacent to the wildland areas.”
Community engagement played a vital role during the plan’s development, with city officials holding two well-attended meetings in 2024 to gather public input. The Planning Commission, which met on Feb. 18, expressed strong support for the council’s adoption of the plan and also recommended proceeding with amending the city’s Sphere of Influence to include the riverbed area for future annexation.
The council’s decision comes amid growing concerns about encampments in the riverbed area, where individuals living in makeshift shelters pose fire-ignition risks due to cooking and warming fires. The plan emphasizes a combination of community education, invasive plant management and strict code enforcement to enhance fire safety.
“There is a recent history of people living within the Riverbed area. Multiple individuals and some families had constructed shelters, notably under the 101 overpass and south of the restaurants near the King City/Broadway southbound off ramp, plus some along the river itself,” the report explained. “Fire ignitions are a concern in encampments, primarily from escaped cooking and warming fires, accidental ignitions and arson.”
Moving forward, the implementing measures outlined in the Riverbed Wildfire Prevention Plan will not only enhance community safety but also guide future land management strategies and ecological conservation efforts.
The council’s resolution directs staff to file a Notice of Determination and initiate the amendment process with the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) to secure the annexation of the riverbed area, solidifying King City’s commitment to mitigating wildfire risks for years to come.
