Lushmeadows Ladder Fuels Project Phase II
Summary
SCH Number
2025101539
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Lushmeadows Ladder Fuels Project Phase II
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/31/2025
Document Description
The Lushmeadows Ladder Fuels Phase II Project (“Project”) is approximately 9 miles east of the unincorporated community of Mariposa in Mariposa County. This project will treat approximately 160 acres of privately-owned land (around which CEQA investigations have been conducted within an approximate 300’ buffer area) near Darrah, CA and west of the Sierra National Forest. Multiple and recent past wildfires have wreaked havoc in Mariposa County; the County has an EXTREME risk of wildfire over the next 30 years. The unaltered project area understory is choked with brush and logs (remnants of the Western Pine Beetle infestation) with dense ladder fuels that extend into Ponderosa pine, Incense cedar, and Black oak. The project will protect hundreds of structures in the Lushmeadows subdivision and adjacent properties via treatment methods of mastication for the initial treatment and prescribed burning for project maintenance.
The Lushmeadows area is a Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) subdivision located in the foothills of Mariposa County at ~3,300’ elevation. This part of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is generally privately-owned and is west of the USFS Sierra National Forest and southwest of Yosemite National Park. From a fire protection viewpoint, the Lushmeadows project is the second phase of vegetative treatment to protect the property and resources in the general Lushmeadows subdivision.
The project area vegetation is mixed Sierra montane conifer with a hardwood component of Black oak and Live oak. In the understory are shrubs/brush heavy to toyon and ceanothus species with grasses in openings. Due to past droughts and beetle activity, mortality is high in the pines; many snags and downed logs exist in the project area. Management goals include restoring forest species composition and structure following large scale, stand-replacing disturbance events such as quick-moving fires or slow-moving insect outbreaks and prevention of catastrophic wildfire.
The Lushmeadows Ladder Fuels Phase II Project follows the initial (Phase I) treatment in 2024. Treatment methods include mechanical and manual mastication, and prescribed fire. Once implementation work on the project is completed, the goal is to maintain the treated area into perpetuity under the current CEQA document.
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
Mariposa
Counties
Mariposa
Regions
Southern California
Total Acres
160
Other Location Info
Sec 13, T4S R19E and Sec 7, 18, 19, T4S R20E, MDBM
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 to CEQA. An environmental review was conducted to confirm that no exceptions apply which would preclude the use of a Notice of Exemption for this project. This review included an on-the-ground field inspection by a Registered Professional Forester during March, April and May, 2025. A full Archeological Survey Report was prepared and approved by Connor Buitenhuys/CAL FIRE Archeologist, in September 2025. In addition, consultation/correspondence was sent via email to representatives of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Regional Water Quality Control Board. No responses specific to the project were received from either agency. 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.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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