Southern California Ignition Reduction Project – Phase I
Summary
SCH Number
2026090144
Public Agency
California Department of Transportation, District 8
(DOT)
Document Title
Southern California Ignition Reduction Project – Phase I
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/2/2026
Document Description
Caltrans District 8 proposes to conduct vegetation fuel reduction treatments along Interstate-15 (I-15) through Cajon Pass, State Route-138 (SR-138), and State Route-18 (SR-18) within the Front County and Mountaintop Ranger Districts of the San Bernardino Forest. The treatments would occur along the roadside shoulders on both sides of the travel lanes, as well as portions of the center median. Proposed activities would include clearing vegetation management strip, removal of invasive and flash fuels, and selectively thinning vegetation to reduce the potential for wildfire ignition and spread, improve roadside fuel conditions, and promote the resilience and conservation of native plant communities.
Contact Information
Name
Malisa Lieng
Agency Name
California Department of Transportation
Job Title
Branch Chief, Env. Studies “A”
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Cajon Pass, Summit Valley, Crestline
Counties
San Bernardino
Regions
Southern California
Cross Streets
I-15 Cajon Pass, SR-138 Summit Valley, SR- Crestline
State Highways
I-15, SR-138 and SR-18
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Public Resources Code section 4799.05(d)(1)
Reasons for Exemption
Pursuant to Public Resources Code section 4799.05(d)(1), the proposed project is statutorily exempt from CEQA because it consists of fuel-reduction activities undertaken, in whole or in part, on federal lands to reduce the risk of high-severity wildfire. The proposed project has been reviewed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and Caltrans’ primary role is providing funding or staffing for the project. The project would implement vegetation and fuel-reduction treatments consistent with the activities evaluated in the applicable USFS NEPA environmental review and decision document. The proposed project was reviewed in its entirety under USFS NEPA Finding of Applicability and No Extraordinary Circumstance (05/06/2026).
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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