SCH Number 2023030542

Project Info

Title

Trinity County Wildfire Mitigation/Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

Description

The proposed action consists of removing ground and ladder fuels along specified corridors, thinning trees to reduce crown closure, and removing dead and dying trees. Work will focus on improving forest health, including vegetation management, forest undergrowth reduction and biomass utilization. Treatment will focus on reducing vertical and horizontal continuity of fuels; removing competition from small, closely spaced, fire-vulnerable species; and promoting a smaller number of resilient larger trees. Generally, living trees will be spaced to a distance of greater than 30 feet. These fuel reduction treatments will allow roadways to serve as areas where fire intensity decreases which act as strategic locations to deploy firefighting resources, thus hampering fire’s ability to jump roadways. Both mechanized and manual techniques will be deployed for the removal of fuels. Areas that would be heavily disturbed by equipment or stacked logs would be reseeded with sterile cover crops or mulched with certified weed-free rice straw or wheat straw. Fuel reduction, biomass disposal, and site restoration activities are described in greater detail in the IS-MND. The treatment contractor will conduct the hazardous fuel reduction techniques appropriate for each individual parcel. A Preliminary Site Assessment (PSA) will be conducted on each eligible parcel to identify watercourses, special-status species and habitat, cultural resources, or any other obstacles to be avoided. An individual Treatment Prescription (TP) will be developed for each parcel based on the Preliminary Site Assessment.

2 documents in project