Past Devastation Inspires New Strategies for Resiliency

The following post includes information from a case study that will be shared at CALRC 2023. Register for CALRC

Photo source: Andrea Singer, The Plumas Sun. A two bedroom CLT home in Greenville

In 2021 the Dixie Fire destroyed more than 1,000 structures in Plumas County, California. In 2023 the Sierra Institute is supporting redevelopment with locally sourced lumber and new Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) structures. This fire-resistant material creates efficient and resilient structures in the face of an unpredictable future.

Johnathan Kusel, Executive Director for the Sierra Institute, and Steve Marshall of Mass Timber Strategy cite the trees that survived the Dixie Fire as inspiration for CLT. When trees burn a charred exterior acts like the walls of a fortress, absorbing the brunt of an attack to protect a more vulnerable interior.

“CLT’s inherent thickness behaves similarly to the charring of a thick tree exposed to fire,” The Sierra Institute says on its website. “The exterior of the tree chars, slowing and eventually stopping combustion, while the interior remains intact.”

Photo source: Andrea Singer, The Plumas Sun. Jonathan Kusel and Ken Donnell at the ribbon cutting.

On August 19th, the Sierra Institute hosted a ribbon cutting to showcase their new CLT-clad homes in Greenville, CA, which was devastated by the fire. So far, three approved floor plans are open to inquiries from community members seeking building permits. They may also register for tours of three pilot home properties. The County has expedited permits for the approved plans, shortening the timeline for residents to rebuild.

CLT is manufactured from small diameter trees which are cleared to reduce forest density and limit fire risk. The Sierra Institute says CLT turns this historically low value lumber into a high value resource. When paired with a non combustible roof with minimal overhang, metal siding and defensible space around the base of every structure, these homes are set up to withstand fire. This ‘win-win’ redevelopment model helps reduce the risk of new fires through forest thinning while also recreating more resilient communities that can survive hotter and more frequent wildfires.

The current model homes were built with CLT manufactured in Oregon, however, Sierra Institute is working to get the machinery necessary to manufacture CLT at the Indian Valley Sawmill in Crescent Mills, CA. The nonprofit utilized EPA Multipurpose Assessment Revolving Loan and Cleanup (MARC) Grants to clean up the site of a long shuttered sawmill, and develop a modern sawmill in its place. Originally planned as a biomass fuel facility, the Dixie Fire prompted the Sierra Institute to redevelop the sawmill to supply lumber for local reconstruction.

The Center for Creative Land Recycling reviewed and advised for the original $600,000 MARC Grant and assisted the Sierra Institute in three more grants. In total, the project received $2.1 million in funding. Kusel said the sawmill has brought six new jobs to Crescent Mills; the CLT facility will create 17 more.

Supporting local communities with tools like locally-produced lumber and CLT is part of the Sierra Institute’s ongoing effort toward rural climate and economic resiliency. To learn more, join us at the 2023 CA Land Recycling Conferencing where Kusel will present in Navigating Rural Reuse: Challenges, Strategies and Community Empowerment. Find more information about the session on Whova.