Salmon Creek
The Salmon Creek Community
The Salmon Creek rural community is located approximately five miles west of Miranda. It is located west of the South Fork of the Eel River and east of the Mattole River and is named after the Salmon Creek, a 12-mile stream and tributary to the Eel River. The community is organized through the Salmon Creek Community School and the Salmon Creek Volunteer Fire Department. Home to approximately 600 residents, the Salmon Creek area is surrounded by large parcels of privately owned land and a large expanse of BLM and State Park land. The Salmon Creek Firewise Boundary encompasses 20,220 acres and approximately 320 dwellings. There are 336 parcels of privately owned land, ranging from .26 acres to 636.8 acres in size.
Salmon Creek's Fire Prone Landscape
Becoming Firewise
Salmon Creek became a nationally recognized Firewise Community site in 2022. The Firewise Committee is comprised of local residents and members of the Salmon Creek Volunteer Fire Department. In collaboration with CAL FIRE, the Firewise Committee conducted and authored a Community Wildfire Risk Assessment. Based on this assessment, the group developed a Three-Year Action Plan to address the identified safety concerns. Residents are now working together to implement that plan, taking specific actions to reduce their vulnerability and enhance fire safety. By preparing homes, structures, and landscapes before a wildfire happens, the Salmon Creek community is increasing the opportunity for lives, homes, and properties to be protected when a wildfire does occur.
A Community Coming Together
Community Activities
Each year, the Salmon Creek Community holds a Firewise Community Event at the beautiful site of the Salmon Creek school, often in conjunction with the local trade market and fire department BBQ. The Firewise Committee distributes educational materials, holds workshops, and gathers community feedback related to fire-related needs and concerns. These events offer the opportunity for residents to interact and build relationships with the Salmon Creek Volunteer Fire Department and CAL FIRE. The Salmon Creek Firewise Committee also helps organize chipper events with CAL FIRE and assists with resident fuel reduction projects.
Action Tools
Salmon Creek's Firewise Community Wildfire Risk Assessment (PDF) and Three-Year Action Plan (PDF) are excellent tools for the community to learn about wildfire hazards in the area and collaboratively identify actions to reduce those hazards.
Funding for the initial completion of the Firewise recognition process was provided by a grant from the California Fire Safe Council (CFSC) as part of the 2019 Grants Clearinghouse Fire Prevention Program. This State Fire Assistance grant is made possible by federal financial assistance provided to the CFSC from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service.