Arastradero Evacuation Route Project

Project Description

The Arastradero evacuation route in Los Altos Hills, California provides a significant route of egress/ingress for the northern portion of the Los Altos Hills community in the event of a fire. To secure the integrity of this egress/ingress route, Los Altos Hills County Fire District and Santa Clara County FireSafe Council propose a roadside treatment of hazardous fuels.

You may read more about the Arastradero project goals on the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council website.

Before & After Photos

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In areas with fences, vegetation has been trimmed back to the fence line. Low-growing tree branches and excess vegetation are cut away from the lower portion of the trees to create a separation between the tree canopy and ground fuels.

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Hazardous brush, grasses, tree limbs, and vegetation is cleared to the fence line.

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Hazardous brush, grasses, tree limbs, and vegetation is cleared to the fence line, and ground vegetation is cut to less than 6" in height.

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Tree branches are raised up, meaning they are trimmed to a height that is up to 14 feet from the surface of the road. This excess vegetation is cut away from the lower portion of trees to create a separation between the tree canopy and ground fuels.

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Tree branches are raised up, meaning they are trimmed to a height that is up to 14 feet from the surface of the road.

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Weeds, grasses and ground vegetation within 15 feet of the center line of the road are trimmed to shorter than 6". When there's a path, as shown here, the prescription allows for trimming to 4 feet beyond the width of the path.

 

Project Site

This evacuation route project intends to treat all portions of Arastradero Road within the Los Altos Hills County Fire District, including Los Altos Hills, and Portola Valley in three phases.

Phase 1:

• Arastradero Road: From Old Adobe Road to Page Mill Road. Approximately 1.6 linear miles, 3.2 treated miles.

Phase 2:

• Arastradero Road: From Page Mill Road to Tracy Court. Approximately 0.2 linear miles, 0.4 treated miles.
• Liddicoat Drive: From Arastradero Road to Liddicoat Circle. Approximately 0.2 linear miles, 0.4 treated miles.
• Liddicoat Circle: The complete loop beginning and ending at Liddicoat Drive. Approximately 0.4 linear miles, 0.8 treated miles.

Phase 3:

• Arastradero Road: From Caballo Lane to Alpine Road. Approximately 0.4 linear miles, 0.8 treated miles.

Total treated area: approximately 2.8 linear miles, 5.6 treated miles.

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Treatment History

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2022 December Initial Treatment

The initial treatment of Arastradero treated one (1) roadway:

• Arastradero Road from Page Mill Road to the Los Altos Hills County Fire District boundary near the intersection of Arastradero Road and Old Adobe Road
• Project length: approximately 3.92 treated miles
• View Final Report

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2024 October Maintenance Treatment

The 2024 maintenance treatment of Arastradero treated two (2) portions of the roadway in two phases:

• Phase 1: Arastradero Road from Page Mill Road to the Los Altos Hills County Fire District boundary near the intersection of Arastradero Road and Old Adobe Road
• Phase 2: Arastradero Road in Portola Valley from Alpine Road to the LAHCFD boundary
• Project length: approximately 3.92 treated miles
• View Final Report

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2026 September Maintenance Treatment

The 2026 maintenance treatment of Arastradero will add another section of Arastradero Road and two (2) tributary roads to the project scope and treat a total of three (3) roadways:

• Phase 1: Arastradero Road from Page Mill Road to the Los Altos Hills County Fire District boundary near the intersection of Arastradero Road and Old Adobe Road
• Phase 2: Arastradero Road from Page Mill Road to the Los Altos Hills County Fire District boundary near the intersection of Arastradero Road and Tracy Court
• Phase 2 Tributaries: Liddicoat Drive and Liddicoat Circle
• Phase 3: Arastradero Road in Portola Valley from Alpine Road to the LAHCFD boundary
• Project length: approximately 5.6 treated miles
• View Final Report