New Sawmill to Aid in Rebuilding after Dixie Wildfire Destroys Nearly a Million Acres in California

The Dixie Fire, named after the creek where the wildfire is believed to have originated, has burned nearly a million acres across five counties in California and in the Plumas National Forest, the Lassen National Forest, and Lassen Volcanic National Park.

For residents of Greenville, Indian Falls, and Canyon Dam thinking of rebuilding with or without insurance companies’ payouts is daunting — especially with the increased cost of lumber, which hit record highs earlier this year due to COVID.

At the same time, there is a burnt-out forest to contend with that have many hazardous trees needing to be felled and dealt with. The Sierra Institute has recognized the need to both do something about all the dead and blackened trees and has heard from residents about that need. The Sierra Institute has purchased a sawmill that will, in their words, “change the dynamics of Dixie Fire restoration and forest management across Plumas County.”

Sierra Institute is partnering with longtime local partner J&C Enterprises who will run the mill. “The lack of lumber markets is one of the biggest barriers to getting any sort of forest treatment done on the landscape,” said Camille Swezy, Operations Forester with J&C Enterprises, a fourth generation, family-owned logging company based in Crescent Mills. J&C Enterprises is also involved in clean-up hazardous tree removal on burnt out properties in Indian Valley.

The mill will bring jobs to the community and ensure local lumber availability. Importantly, it will provide lower cost lumber to the community, reducing the burden on residents who might otherwise not be able to afford to rebuild.

While the details of the new mill enterprises are not quite laid out yet (Will residents bring the trees on their own properties to the mill? What will be the cost of the lumber to residents?), the plan and the new business at the site has already become a welcomed and celebrated venture in the rebuilding Greenville efforts.