CAL - FIRE California Unincorporated Climate Investment Grant North Fork Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project 5GG20 I 80
Summary
SCH Number
2021120372
Public Agency
Tulare County
Document Title
CAL - FIRE California Unincorporated Climate Investment Grant North Fork Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project 5GG20 I 80
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/16/2021
Document Description
The California Climate Investment (CCI) Grant provides funding for projects related to the removal of dead or dying trees, hazardous fuel (vegetation) reduction, fire prevention education, and fire prevention planning. Reducing fuel along a vital evacuation route allows for the safe ingress or egress of civilians and first responders during a fast moving wildland fire. In addition to securing a vital evacuation route, the reduction of available vegetation will also reduce the wildfire threat to habitable structures within Tulare County and the State Responsibility Area (SRA). The Tulare County Fire Department intends to conduct fuel reduction activities including: physically removing or chipping vegetation along North Fork Drive adjacent to the community of Three Rivers.
The entirety of this project is located in the high fire severity zone. This project will reduce vegetation and fuel located within 40 feet on either side of the roadway, creating an approximately 110 feet wide area and securing the only evacuation route. The overriding goal is to reduce the spread of wildland fire from North Fork Drive into the wildland/urban interface, and vice versa. The evacuation route addressed in this project in identified in the Tulare County Community Evacuation Plan as the only route of for inhabited structures in the area.
The public benefit of projects funded by CCI include reducing the risk of fire ignition and spreading, and adjacent to communities; educating owners of habitable structures about wildfire risks; allowing for strategic, long-term planning to reduce the risk of wildfire to communities in the SRA throughout the State; or removing dead or dying trees that pose a threat to public health and safety.
Contact Information
Name
Hector Guerra
Agency Name
Tulare County Resource Management Agency
Job Title
Chief Environmental Planner
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Cities
Three Rivers
Counties
Tulare
Regions
Unincorporated
Other Location Info
Unincorporated community of Three Rivers in Tulare County, CA
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Declared Emergency
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(3); 15269(a)
Reasons for Exemption
The proposed project is excluded or exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) on the grounds that the project is consistent with the following:
Public Resources Code Section 21080, subdivision (b) (4) (Emergency), and State CEQA Guidelines Section 15269, subdivision (c) (Emergency).
The County was successful in receiving $ 389,371 as requested in the grant application. This will be used to address the risk and potential of wildfire impacts on North Fork Drive that pose a threat to public health and safety within the SRA in the unincorporated communities of Three Rivers and North Fork Drive.
Pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 153 59, an "Emergency" applies when a project is necessary " ... to prevent or mitigate loss of or damage to life, health, property or essential public services." As such, preventive efforts would be undertaken to remove dead or dying trees to protect essential public services (such as accessible roads) prior to the occurrence of catastrophic wildfire.
County Clerk
Tulare
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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