East Garberville Shaded Fuel Break
Summary
SCH Number
2021010310
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
East Garberville Shaded Fuel Break
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
1/26/2021
Present Land Use
Wildland Urban Interface
Document Description
The project will create a Shaded Fuel Break (48 Acers) reducing fire hazard through removal of excess vegetation in the Wildland Urban Interface adjacent to Garberville, California. Project implementation will utilize crews with hand tools, weed eaters, chainsaws, and chipper to reduce fuels using a combination of treatments including weed whacking, brush removal, limb removal, chipping, lop and scatter, and the felling of small trees adjacent to the town of Garberville and within project boundaries. Residual trees and shrubs will be spaced approximately 10 – 15 feet apart. Retained trees will be pruned to a height of 6 to 10 feet to reduce ladder fuels. Trees designated as hazard trees will be flagged for safety and may be felled. Cut material will be chipped on site, mulched using mulching heads mounted on brush cutters, or lopped and scattered using chainsaws, depending on equipment available and access to roads. No pile burning or broadcast burning is proposed. Mechanical masticator may be used along the edges of existing roads. Tree removal will be focused on suppressed immature understory trees with treatments focused on separating the continuity of crowns or eliminating ladder fuel characteristics. Site disturbance will be limited to minor modifications of vegetation. The fuel management activities will reduce the volume and arrangement of flammable vegetation providing the community with increased fire resiliency and safer egress/ingress access roads.
Contact Information
Name
Jason Butcher
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Location
Counties
Humboldt
Total Acres
48
Other Location Info
Portions of T04S, R03E Sec 24 HBM
Other Information
East of the community of Garberville, CA
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 § 15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
This project fits within the descriptions of a Class 4 Categorical Exemptions described in CEQA Guidelines (14 CCR §15304) pertaining to Existing Facilities and Minor Alterations to Land. This project will not have a significant effect on the environment and is exempt from the provisions of CEQA.
Field review by CAL FIRE staff confirmed that no exceptions apply which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. The Department has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, 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, utilities and service systems, or to wildfire. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE Humboldt – Del Norte Unit, 118 Fortuna Blvd., Fortuna, CA 95540.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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