Paso Robles, with the help of the San Luis Obispo County Fire Safe Council, is working to keep residential areas on Union Road and North River Road clear of debris such as downed trees before storms hit.

The council awarded Paso Robles about $250,000 this year to support its community harm reduction program. It’s part of $3.1 million in grant funding from CAL FIRE’s California Climate Investment Program, shared with 19 projects in the county.

“We’ve been working for the last several years in the riverbed with this funding,” said Paso Robles Administrative Fire Capt. Ross Porter. “And now we have taken care of the edges of the bed to minimize the risk of emergence. the fire from escaping the river bed in residential areas, we are now spreading it into the drainages in the communities.”

With the help of a fire fuel reduction crew, removing debris and dead trees helps reduce the risk of fires spreading. Debris removal also helps clear drainage to prevent flooding during storms.

“We had flooding that extended and affected parts of the city,” Ross added. “So this is just another step in how we reduce the risk of community flooding.”

The Paso Robles Fire Department is reminding the community to drive safely around work crews as they remove debris through next week.