Michelle Beutler cleared 67 trees off a U.S. Forest Service road in two days. It was the spring of 2023, after a record-breaking winter in the Stanislaus National Forest in California’s Sierra Nevada.

Fruit trees have gotten established in their current homes and uprooting them after two years would be a big setback.

The initiative is designed to mitigate fire risk, but some residents say the work is drastic, and needs more community input.

During the St. Johns City Council meeting on Feb. 12, Councilwoman Mandi Huth spoke on behalf of the St. Johns Community ...