WHITE RANCH AND WALT RANCH PRESCRIBED BURNS
Summary
SCH Number
2026060262
Public Agency
Napa County
Document Title
WHITE RANCH AND WALT RANCH PRESCRIBED BURNS
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/5/2026
Document Description
White Ranch - The project will involve pile burning and broadcast burning to reduce and remove accumulated dead vegetation and other hazardous fuels across 18 burn units totaling approximately 103.6 acres located on a 197.59 acre parcel. These activities will help protect the rural communities of Pope Valley, Angwin, and surrounding areas, including critical ingress and egress routes. Broadcast burning will
also assist in reducing the encroachment of invasive species. The property is located within an area of the County identified as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ).
The project will involve pile burning operations to prepare the site for broadcast burning by reducing fuel loading and creating conditions suitable for low-intensity broadcast burning. Broadcast burning will then be utilized as a land management tool to help protect communities, maintain critical access and egress routes, and strengthen strategically important areas for wildfire suppression. The project will obtain a Smoke Management Plan approved by the Bay Area Air Quality Air District, in addition to LE-5 and 7 permits through CALFIRE.
Walt Ranch - The projects will involve pile burning operations and use of mastication to prepare the site for broadcast burning by reducing fuel loading and creating conditions suitable for low-intensity broadcast burning. Broadcast burning will then be utilized as a land management tool to help protect communities, maintain critical access and egress routes, strengthen strategically important areas for wildfire suppression, and promote long-term forest health, rangeland improvement, and watershed resilience.
The project will involve pile burning and broadcast burning to reduce and remove accumulated dead vegetation and other hazardous fuels remaining from the 2017 Atlas Fire. These activities will help protect the rural communities of Circle Oaks, Capell Valley, Berryessa Highlands, and surrounding areas, including critical ingress and egress routes. Broadcast burning will also assist in reducing the encroachment of
invasive species and promoting more resilient native plant communities. The property is located within an area of the County identified as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone (VHFHSZ), where fuel reduction treatments are essential to reducing wildfire risk and improving community safety.
Contact Information
Name
Dana Eleanor Morrison
Agency Name
County of Napa
Job Title
Supervising Planner - Conservation
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
JR Rogers
Agency Name
Napa County Fire Administrator
Job Title
Fire Administrator
Contact Types
Project Applicant
Phone
Name
Ryan Isham
Agency Name
CalFIRE Sonoma Lake Unit
Job Title
Deputy Chief - Community Risk Reduction
Contact Types
Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Coordinates
Cities
Napa, St. Helena, unincorporated area
Counties
Napa
Regions
Northern California, Unincorporated
Cross Streets
White Ranch: Lower Chiles Valley Rd and Chiles Pope Valley Road...
Zip
94508
Total Acres
2403.6
Parcel #
White: 025-010-015, Walt Ranch: 032-480-012, 032-490-012, 032-480-022, 032-490-009...
State Highways
White: None, Walt: State Hwy 128
Railways
None
Airports
White Ranch: Angwin Airport
Schools
None
Waterways
White: Maxwell Creek, Hardin Creek, Burton Creek; Walt: Miliken Creek and Capell Creek
Township
8; 7
Range
5; 3
Section
3; 29
Base
MDM; MDM
Other Location Info
(Cross Streets Continued)...Walt Ranch: Monticello Road and Capell Valley Road
(Coordinate Continued)...Walt Ranch: 38 25 41.026, -122 13 32.949
(Parcel Number Continued)...032-180-020, 032-490-008, 032-480-008, 032-490-005, 032-480-024, 032-490-018, 032-490-015, 032-480-014, 032-490-019, 032-480-027, 032-290-016, 032-490-017, 032-490-006, 032-480-021, 032-490-013, 032-480-007, 032-480-015, 032-480-028, 032-490-010, 032-490-011, 032-120-028, 032-480-017, 032-480-023, 032-480-013, 032-480-018, 032-480-011, 032-490-019, 032-490-004, 032-490-014 and 032-490-020
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Class 4-Section 15304 (Minor Alterations to Land), & Class 8-Section 15308 (Actions for Protection of Natural Resources)
Reasons for Exemption
Staff has reviewed the proposed project to determine the required level of
review under the CEQA and has determined the project to be Categorically Exempt from the CEQA pursuant to the following CEQA Guidelines:
• The project meets the requirements of CEQA Article 19 Class 4 (Section 15304) Categorical Exemption "Minor Alterations to Land" as the project aims to utilize mechanized equipment/techniques, including "pile burning" and "broadcast burning" with minimal to no ground disturbance to manage and maintain vertical and horizontal fire fuels in the County. The entirety of the proposed work is located in areas designated as having a High Fire Hazard Zone (HFHZ) or Very High Fire Hazard Zone (VHFHZ). The managing and maintaining of vertical and horizontal fire fuels is a common practice within communities. The project will manage and maintain fire fuels throughout the project area. This fuel reduction treatment is strategically located to improve defensible space, provide safe egress for evacuating citizens, provide
safe ingress for emergency resources, protect critical infrastructure and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property from catastrophic wildfire events. Additionally, the project will implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) and restoration efforts with non-invasive species to restore natural habitats and help prevent and/or reduce the amount of sediment and runoff into nearby drainages/waterways. By managing and maintaining wildfire intensity and severity, it will improve our defensible space, provide safer egress for evacuating citizens, provide safer ingress for emergency resources, and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property. Also, project activities will not result in the taking of endangered, rare, and/or threatened plant or animal species, or cause sedimentation to surface waters. The project will implement Best Management Practices (BMPs), including restoration efforts with noninvasive species to restore natural habitats and help prevent and/or reduce the amount of sediment and runoff into nearby drainages/waterways.
The project meets the requirements of CEQA Article 19 Class 8 (Section 15308) Categorical Exemption "Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources" as the project consist of actions by regulatory agencies as authorized by state laws or local ordinances. The project will utilize mechanized equipment/techniques, including "pile burning" and "broadcast burning" with minimal to no ground disturbance to manage and maintain vertical and horizontal fire fuels within the proposed project areas to better help protect the County as a whole. The entirety of the proposed work is located in areas designated as having a High Fire Hazard Zone (HFHZ) or Very High Fire Hazard Zone (VHFHZ). The managing and maintaining of vertical and horizontal fire fuels is a common practice within communities. This fuel reduction treatment is strategically located to moderate the movement of wildfire, improve defensible space, provide safe egress for evacuating citizens, provide safe ingress for emergency resources, protect critical infrastructure, and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property from catastrophic wildfire events. The project will implement Best Management Practices (BMPs) and restoration efforts with non-invasive species to restore natural habitats and help prevent and/or reduce the amount of sediment and runoff into nearby drainages/waterways. Additionally, the referenced agencies confirmed the hazardous fuel reduction clearance is mandatory to moderate the movement of wildfire, improve
defensible space, provide safe egress for evacuating citizens, provide safe ingress for emergency resources, protect critical infrastructure, adhere to PRC 4291 / local ordinances and ultimately facilitate in the protection of life and property from catastrophic wildfire events.
County staff also reviewed all potential exceptions (Section 15300.2) to the categorical exemptions and determined that no exceptions would apply: (a) because there are no project impacts and/or no cumulatively significant impacts; (b) There would be no significant effects due to unusual circumstances because the routine maintenance and/or removal of hazardous forest/fire fuels to reduce wildfire intensity/severity, including the protection of life and property from catastrophic events is a common practice in communities; (c) There would be no damage to scenic resources, historic buildings, and/or rock outcroppings; (d) The project is not located on a hazardous waste site; and (e) The project is designed to require minimal to no ground disturbance. Furthermore, there are no known special circumstances that exist which would create a reasonable possibility that the project will have a significant adverse effect on the environment. Therefore, the project meets the criteria outlined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15304 and 15308 and would be categorically exempt from the requirements of CEQA.
County Clerk
Napa
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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