Loma Prieta Communication Tower Wildfire Protection
Summary
SCH Number
2026060578
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Loma Prieta Communication Tower Wildfire Protection
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
6/12/2026
Document Description
The project will implement vegetation treatment activities on approximately 55 acres surrounding the Loma Prieta communication tower complex to reduce hazardous fuel loading and improve defensibility of critical communication infrastructure located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The treatment area consists primarily of manzanita chaparral with scattered knobcone pine and Douglas fir. Treatments will include: (1) establishment of up to 100 feet of defensible space around infrastructure; (2) mastication of vegetation within 20 feet of Mount Umunhum Road, Loma Prieta Road, and Mount Chual Spur road to improve ingress/egress and reduce roadside ignition potential; and (3) prescribed fire within three burn units surrounding the tower complex, following mechanical or manual pretreatments. Control lines will be established along existing roads where feasible and constructed as needed to support prescribed fire operations. All activities will be conducted in accordance with applicable Environmental Protection Plan (EPP) best management practices. Treated areas may be re-entered on a 5-to-10-year cycle to maintain reduced hazardous fuel loads. Consistent with PRC §4483, treatment design, implementation methods, and maintenance intervals have been developed to reduce wildfire hazard while avoiding the conversion of chaparral community types to non-native grassland or other vegetation types.
Contact Information
Name
Scott Bullock
Agency Name
CAL FIRE
Job Title
Forester I
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Parties Undertaking Project
Address
Phone
Location
Counties
Santa Clara
Regions
Northern California
Total Acres
55
Township
9S
Range
01E
Section
34
Base
MDBM
Other Location Info
roadside treatments along Mount Umunhum Road, Loma Prieta Road, and Mount Chual Spur road, as well as around communications repeater
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Declared Emergency
Type, Section or Code
Sec. 21080(b)(3); 15269(a)
Reasons for Exemption
Pursuant to CEQA Section 21080(b)(4) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15269 (c) a project is exempt from CEQA if it is a “specific action necessary to prevent or mitigate an emergency.” On March 1, 2025, Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a State of Emergency due to catastrophic wildfire risks and found that conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property exist within the State of California due to these conditions. Pursuant to the Emergency Proclamation, a critical fuels reduction project qualifies for CEQA exemption if: (1) it has as one of its primary objectives at least one of the following activities: (a) removal of hazardous, dead, and/or dying trees; (b) removal of vegetation for the creation of strategic fuel breaks as identified by approved fire prevention plans, including without limitation CAL FIRE Unit Fire Plans or Community Wildfire Preparedness Plans; (c) removal of vegetation for community defensible space; (d) removal of vegetation along roadways, highways, and freeways for the creation of safer ingress and egress routes for the public and responders and to reduce roadside ignitions; (e) removal of vegetation using cultural traditional ecological knowledge for cultural burning and/or prescribed fire treatments for fuels reduction; or (f) maintenance of previously-established fuel breaks or fuels modification projects; (2) has been approved by the appropriate Agency Secretary, or their designee, as being eligible to be conducted under the suspension; and (3) is conducted in accordance with the State Environmental Protection Plan (EPP). This project has as its primary purpose as described in section (d) and has been approved by the Secretary of Natural Resources as being eligible to be conducted under the suspension and will be conducted in accordance with the EPP. The action is therefore exempt from CEQA. Documentation of the environmental review completed by the Department is kept on file at 6059 Highway 9, Felton CA 95018 in the Resources Management office.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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