The Irvine Ranch Conservancy has announced a partnership with the City of Irvine that will bring fire prevention and habitat enhancement to a highly frequented portion of the Bommer Canyon Preserve. Set to begin this August, the work being done at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) has been made possible thanks to funding from a $1 million grant awarded to the City Irvine through Senate Bill 170. 

Located south of Shady Canyon Drive, the 49-acre area of Bommer Canyon Preserve is highly desirable for outdoor enthusiasts, but recent overgrowth has made it susceptible to dangerous wildfires, according to IRC Restoration Enhancement Manager, Robert Freese. Due to the area’s popularity, Freese explained that visitors should expect to see new signage that will outline the restoration project’s goals for prevention and beyond. 

“Since many visitors recreate at Bommer Canyon Preserve, our team will be reaching out to the community through signage and educational materials to explain the many benefits of the project as it unfolds,” Freese explained. “This is by far the largest restoration project undertaken through our collaborations with the City of Irvine. We’re very grateful for this funding from the California Natural Resources Agency and partnership with the City of Irvine to make this possible,” he said.

In terms of specifics, the project hopes to mitigate wildfire season risk by reducing the amount of non-native flammable plants, and replacing them with native, less combustible varieties of vegetation. Additionally, the project will also incorporate the design and implementation of natural fuel breaks of native riparian vegetation.  

In addition to assistance from SB 170, which aims to help mitigate fire risk for communities located in areas classified by the  California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as “very high severity” zones for wildfires, the Irvine Ranch Water District will also assist by adding irrigation to the project’s infrastructure.

While adding on-site irrigation to projects of this magnitude is uncommon, it will aid in the area’s seeding cycle, helping to naturally usher in new vegetation habitats.    

Reese expects the initial phase of the project to be completed in March 2026.

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