Santee slated to address riverbed fire risks

Santee has received a $7.2 million federal grant to clear fire hazards throughout the San Diego River Corridor.

The corridor cuts through the center of Santee, in an area where houses intersect with overgrown vegetation. The city waited more than five years before it was notified it had been awarded the Federal Emergency Management Agency grant they were promised to reduce hazardous fuels in the area. This delayed mitigation efforts despite the city’s desire to move forward, City Manager Wendy Kaserman said.

The City Council voted to match the $7.2 million grant in 2019, Kaserman said, but the city did not recieve the funding until fall 2025.

The clearing project will require collaboration between the city, fire departments, state and federal agencies, as well as property owners.

Mayor John Minto said the city has asked property owners in the corridor to clear hazardous vegetation from their property, with some success.

“If the city comes and tells you that you have to clean your property because it’s a fire hazard, you know, clean it, because otherwise it is going to cost you twice as much (in legal fees),” Minto said.

A significant portion of the riverbed is protected wildlife, Minto added, further complicating the process and delaying clearings.

He said the project is at least 18 months from completion. The city is working with Dudek, an environmental consulting firm, on environmental studies for the project.

“We are working diligently, we are aware it’s (fire hazard) an issue,” Kaserman said. “I know the city wants to move quickly and it’s a priority for the council that we get the money and we get in there and we do the clearing.”