Elk Evacuation Fuelbreak (Elk CSD)
Summary
SCH Number
2022050431
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Elk Evacuation Fuelbreak (Elk CSD)
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
5/19/2022
Document Description
The purpose of this project is to improve ingress and egress safety, reduce wildfire risk, and aid in fire suppression activities through fuel reduction treatments. This project aims to reduce roadside fuels along 27.75 miles (134.5 acres) of Cameron Road, Philo Greenwood Road and Signal Ridge Road between the communities of Elk and Philo, Mendocino County, California. The project area contains a diversity of plant communities including grand fir forest, oak woodland, mixed redwood forest, pygmy forest, coastal grassland and agricultural lands. Vegetation will be thinned and pruned within the road right-of-way and slightly beyond of the listed County Roads (20 feet on either side of the traveled roadway/pavement edge). All work will be completed using manual treatment methods. Hand crews will employ chainsaws, pole saws and hand tools to remove small trees, brush, and surface/ground fuels. Live trees (8 inches DBH or less) will be removed when appropriate. Larger trees will be pruned to provide for a minimum vertical clearance of 14 feet above the roadway. Dead/dying or hazard trees of any size that pose a safety hazard to the roadway, people, or other infrastructure will be removed. Associated slash (limbs/tops <12” diameter) will be chipped and logs will be bucked and left on site. Slash and debris created by this project will be chipped and scattered onsite. Chippers will not leave the roadway. The project also calls for a follow-up treatment of regrowth vegetation utilizing animal browse on approximately 1.2 miles (6.0 acres) in completed and established fuelbreak area. This project includes long-term maintenance of fuel loading and hazard tree removal as necessary.
Contact Information
Name
Julie Rhoads
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Job Title
Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Countywide
Cross Streets
Cameron Road, Philo Greenwood Road and Signal Ridge Road
Total Acres
134.5
Other Location Info
Portions of T14N R15W Secs 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 21, 28 & 33; T14N R16W Sec 1; T15N R16W Secs 19, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34, 35 & 36; T15N R17W Secs 3, 4, 10, 11, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25 & 26 MDBM
Other Information
Between the communities of Elk and Philo, Mendocino County, California
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 § 15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project meets the requirements of a CEQA Article 19 Class 4 Categorical exemption “Minor Alterations to Land” (Section 15304, Public Resources Code) as the proposed fuel management activities entail understory brush removal, 10 “DBH or less tree removal, thinning, pruning, chipping, from an existing roadway, and dead/tree removal to improve access for fire engines and reduce volume of flammable vegetation. As such, CAL FIRE has concluded that no significant environmental impact would occur to aesthetics, agriculture and forestland/timberland, air quality, biological resources, cultural resources, energy, and 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. No exceptions apply (Section 15300.2) which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at CAL FIRE Mendocino Unit, 802 N. Main Street. Attn. VMP Coordinator.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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