Highway 41 Training Burn

Summary

SCH Number
2020050408
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Highway 41 Training Burn
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/20/2020
Present Land Use
Rural
Document Description
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is proposing training burns on approximately 104 acres of grassland, along Highway 41 from Road 200 to the Madera Canal. This area has been prone to frequent wildland fires and was burned in 2019 as one of the Governor’s 35 Priority Projects. Implementation would be after grass fuels cure, but prior to peak fire season (May or June). Holding lines are existing road shoulders, disc lines that ranchers maintain annually, and refreshing handline from 2019 along the Caltrans fence line where two properties opted out of the project. Routine fire control training activities would include various hand firing devices in the designated burn blocks, mobile attack along existing service road, and progressive hose lay operations while in a controlled environment. All burning will be performed in accordance with terms and conditions of a burn permit issued by the San Joaquin Air Pollution Control District. Ground application of commercial fire retardant such as Fortify or Firetrol may be continued to reduce impacts of scraping around approximately 12,000 wooden posts along the burn.after successful demonstrations in 2019. Annual burns at this location are anticipated.

Contact Information

Name
Brian
Agency Name
Mattos
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency

Name
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Contact Types
Project Applicant

Location

Counties
Madera, Mariposa
Total Acres
104
State Highways
41
Base
MDB&M
Other Location Info
USGS 7.5' Quads: ONEALS, MILLERTON LAKE WEST, LITTLE TABLE MTN, LANES BRIDGE
Other Information
Portion of Sec’s 25, 35, 36 T9S R20E; 2, 10, 11, 15, 22, 27, 28, 33 T10S R20E; 4, 9, 16 T11S R20E MDB&M

Notice of Exemption

Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Type/Section: Class 4, §15304 (e): Minor Alterations to Land, Minor temporary use of land
Reasons for Exemption
CAL FIRE is tasked with increasing acres of land treated, and this training burn will be another step toward achieving that goal. The project meets the requirements of Class 4, §15304(e): Minor Alteration to the Land Categorical Exemption to CEQA. Class 4 includes minor public or private alterations in the conditions of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, and scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes. Field review by CAL FIRE staff confirmed that no 15300.2. Exceptions apply which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. The activities will not result in the taking of endangered, rare, or threatened plant or animal species, or sedimentation to surface waters. CAL FIRE staff has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, geology and soils, greenhouse gas emissions, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use planning, mineral resources, noise, population and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/traffic, or utilities and service systems. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE Mariposa Headquarters at 5366 State Highway 49 North, Mariposa CA 95338.
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