TAFIC Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project V
Summary
SCH Number
2025091057
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
TAFIC Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project V
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/23/2025
Document Description
The Timberview Area Firewise Improvement Council (TAFIC) is an active Firewise Community located in the Central Sierra foothills. The TAFIC community consists of 55 parcels including 45 homes spread across 280 acres surrounded on three sides by Sierra National Forest (SNF) land. Phase V of this Project will treat an alternative 35 acres within the same 280-acre boundary to previous phases of the project to remove hazardous fuels that endanger residences and the surrounding forest. The Project area is located on approximately 35 acres west of Teaford Saddle Road in the North Fork area of Madera County at an elevation of approximately 3,500 msl. The Project will occur on private rural residential lands. The Fuel Reduction Project will also help maintain two miles of roadsides, driveways, and an access road for emergency vehicles. The Project will also finish a 100' - 200' shaded fuel break along County Rd. 223 between the Timberview and Sierra Highlands subdivision. The Project area vegetation was primarily pine, cedar and oak woodland with shrubs, and grasslands and 80-90% of the pines were lost to the bark beetle. There will be both types of mastication as in the previous phases of the fuel reduction CAL FIRE Project. All hazardous fuels will be masticated or chipped for erosion protection and to facilitate greenhouse emission limitations. Mechanical mastication would be utilized to chip, grind, and shred vegetation on site and manual mastication would be used to remove dead fall on the ground, by chipping, hand cutting, and some piling. The vegetation community can recover quickly from mastication treatment, which is necessary due to the bark beetle. No live trees will be cut or removed, only underbrush. No burning will occur in the Project site. There are seasonal creeks in the area, but none of them will be disturbed. An equipment exclusion zone (EEZ) of 25-50 feet has been incorporated into the Project.
Contact Information
Name
Brian Mattos
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)
Job Title
Forester II
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
North Fork
Counties
Madera
Regions
Southern California
Total Acres
35
Other Location Info
Portions Section 32, 33 T7S R22E MDB&M and portions Section 4,5,9 T8S R22E MDB&M
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4 §15304 Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
This Project fits under the description for a Class 4 Categorical Exemption under CEQA. Class 4, Section 15304 is for Minor Alterations to Land. This Fuel Reduction Project is exempt because there will not be removal of healthy, mature, or scenic trees, only deadfall. This exemption also covers fuel management activities. The Project will not have negative cumulative impacts, will not damage a scenic resource, and is not located on a hazardous waste site. There was a cultural survey done in May of 2025 and it was determined that the steep terrain would limit cultural activity, and it may be concluded that these locations are not sensitive for cultural resources. The Creek Fire resulted in evacuation of this community. As a designated Firewise organization TAFIC is continually working with local, county and State agencies to promote a fire safe community. Field review by CAL FIRE staff confirmed that no exceptions apply that would preclude the use of a notice of exemption for this Project. The Department 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, populations and housing, public services, recreation, transportation/ traffic, utilities and service systems, or to wildfire. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at MMU Unit Headquarters in Mariposa, CA.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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