After two of the most deadly and damaging years of wildfires occurred Governor Newsom took action to protect community and put the state on a path toward long-term wildfire prevention and forest health through the implementation of vegetation management projects.
Citing extreme peril posed by wildfire risk, Governor Newsom issued an Emergency Proclamation on March 22, 2019, directing CAL FIRE to immediately implement projects to protect lives and property. To ensure necessary work can get underway immediately, the proclamation suspends certain requirements and regulations.
CAL FIRE has identified 35 priority projects that can be implemented immediately to help reduce public safety risk for over 200 of California’s most wildfire-vulnerable communities. Project examples include removal of hazardous dead trees, vegetation clearing, creation of fuel breaks and community defensible spaces, and creation of safer ingress and egress corridors. Project descriptions can be found here.
The Emergency Proclamation provides the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) and the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) discretion to suspend state environmental permitting requirements on a case-by-case basis so that the 35 priority projects can get underway immediately, including suspending requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
To help safeguard environmental and cultural resources while the work is being done, CAL FIRE is seeking input from regulatory agencies, including regional water boards and regional offices of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. CAL FIRE also is employing a suite of best management practices to identify and avoid sensitive resources.
See CAL FIRE’s Community Wildfire and Mitigation Report page for more on the 35 priority projects and other measures to protect wildfire-vulnerable communities this year and put the state on a path toward long-term wildfire prevention and forest health.
Individual Suspensions
As CAL FIRE requests suspensions for individual projects necessary to protect vulnerable communities, Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot will consider whether appropriate environmental protections have been incorporated into project design and determine eligibility for suspension under the Emergency Proclamation. Suspensions do not alter any federal requirements and may be revised or further conditioned as necessary to protect public health and the environment.
Letters describing environmental protections and documenting the basis for individual project suspensions will be posted here.
North Orinda Fuel Break (PDF)
Ukiah Emergency Fuels Reduction Project (PDF)
King’s Mountain Road Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Aptos Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Elk Creek Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Beal Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Blue Rush Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Willits Emergency Fuels Reduction Project (PDF)
Shaver Springs Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Martin Ranch Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Rush Creek Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Musick Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Guatay Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Palo Corona Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Laurel Springs Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Bridgeville Emergency Fuel Reduction Project (PDF)
Forbestown Ridge Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Palo Colorado Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Quarry Park Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
State Route 17 Fuels Reduction Project (PDF)
Crest Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Grist Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
Highway 41 Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Metcalf Gap Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
Lake Shastina Emergency Fuel Break (PDF)
San Juan Canyon Emergency Shaded Fuel Break (PDF)
San Marcos Pass Emergency Fuels Reduction Project (PDF)
Painted Cave Defensible Space Emergency Project (PDF)
Webster Vegetation Management Project (PDF)
The Community Wildfire Prevention & Mitigation Projects are part of California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment– particularly in disadvantaged communities.
