Madera County Sheriff and Office of Emergency Services Director Tyson Pogue announced the partnership between the Madera County Office of Emergency Services and SOX Erosion Solutions to implement a slope stabilization project in North Fork following the devastating Creek Fire, which burned 379,895 acres in Madera and Fresno Counties.
Earlier this year, the Madera County Department of Water and Natural Resources paid for a geology report conducted by an independent expert in the field, ENGEO, to identify the burn scar areas which required repair, restoration, or posed a potential risk for instability. Based on their recommendations, the Office of Emergency Services developed a strategy for debris flow/ stabilization control measures to prevent future mud and/or landslides.
Associates at ENGEO helped facilitate a collaboration between the County and SOX Erosion Solutions, a developer who manufactures and distributes perimeter fencing specifically designed for erosion control. As a result of this partnership, Sox Erosion Solutions donated nearly 2,000 feet of sediment control protective fencing, which is about 50 percent of the materials required for the project. Madera County is utilizing FEMA funding that will supply 75 percent of the remaining costs.
Installation of materials began on April 13. This will help to ensure the areas within the burn scar are protected. The flexible use of the perimeter fencing will enable the material to be used in a variety of capacities and accommodate changes in the needs of the county, allowing us to utilize it for stabilization in areas that pose future erosion hazards in the years to come.
“We are grateful for the support and partnership of SOX Erosion Solutions, who generously donated materials for this large-scale project,” Poguesaid. “By taking this proactive step to protect the burn scar areas damaged by the Creek Fire, we are protecting the safety and security of our Madera County residents who have already been impacted by the fire and its subsequent aftermath.”