Battalion 4 Fire Stations Fuel Reduction Project
Summary
SCH Number
2025040868
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Battalion 4 Fire Stations Fuel Reduction Project
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
4/17/2025
Document Description
The purpose of this project is to reduce wildfire risk on 32 acres of State property at two Fire Stations through fuel reduction treatments as well as minor infrastructure improvements. The stations are in Battalion 4 of the Mendocino Unit in Leggett and Laytonville, both along Highway 101. Leggett Station (22 acres) and Laytonville Station (10 acres) are located within Douglas-fir/mixed hardwood forest interspersed with ponderosa pine, true oaks, grassy openings, and shrubs. Both properties contain multiple buildings for CAL FIRE staff in a wildland interface and serves as housing for fire fighters. Annual vegetation management activities are necessary to maintain the grounds in a manner that reduces vegetative fuels around buildings to lower fire risk and remove trees or portions of trees that pose a fire and/or safety risk to structures, property, and human life. Fuel reduction activities involve the use of hand crews, chainsaws (tree falling, bucking, and brushing), pole saws, chippers, heavy equipment with masticator attachments, and pile and broadcast burning. Live trees and dead/dying trees, 12-inches in diameter or less, may be removed when appropriate to improve spacing or forest health, and logs will be bucked and left on site. Larger trees may be pruned to provide for a vertical clearance of up to 14 feet. These activities also serve as training opportunities for unit fire fighters such as chainsaw operations, putting live fire on the ground, constructing fire line, and simulating mop-up operations. This project includes long term fuel reduction and hazard tree removal as needed. In addition, both stations require trench work and pad foundations for additional infrastructure. Leggett Station requires a permanent backup generator, PPE washer-extractor, and electric gate. Pads for the generator and extractor will be located adjacent to the barracks facility and require minor trenching. Trenching to the gate will extend from the apron of the driveway to nearest power source, approximately 75’L. Laytonville Station also requires a permanent generator, necessitating a small pad foundation and trench work between facilities. Generator pads will be approximately 17’L x 10’W x 8”D. Trenching will be approximately 6”W x 18”D.
Contact Information
Name
Monica Morris
Agency Name
CAL FIRE
Job Title
Environmental Scientist
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Counties
Mendocino
Regions
Northern California
Cross Streets
highway 101
Total Acres
32
State Highways
highway 101
Township
23N
Range
15W
Section
1
Base
MDBM
Other Information
Leggett and Laytonville CAL FIRE Stations
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, 12-inches DBH or less tree removal, thinning, pruning, chipping, mastication, pile burning, and dead/tree removal to improve access 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, 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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