Cultural Fire Management Council, “Skey-wok kee' we Mech (It Needs Fire) Phase 1” - Sudden Oak Disease
Summary
SCH Number
2026091101
Public Agency
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
(CAL FIRE)
Document Title
Cultural Fire Management Council, “Skey-wok kee' we Mech (It Needs Fire) Phase 1” - Sudden Oak Disease
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
9/25/2026
Document Description
CAL FIRE is providing funding to the Cultural Fire Management Council to immediately treat Sudden Oak Death (SOD) across 1,999 acres of the Upper Yurok Reservation on Tribal Trust and Private Fee lands in Humboldt County. Proposed activities include site preparation through manual handlines and targeted mastication adjacent to existing fuel breaks and/or bulldozer lines, followed by prescribed fire, including pile and broadcast burning. These treatments are intended to reduce SOD spore loads and limit further spread. Without treatment, SOD could continue to expand across the landscape, causing additional oak mortality and compounding impacts to forest health fuels, and ecosystem resilience. Tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus) is also a cornerstone of Yurok lifeways, supporting traditional food sovereignty, ceremonial practices, and cultural heritage; continued loss of tanoak would therefore result in both ecological and cultural impacts.
A portion of the 1,999-acre treatment area overlaps with the Skey-wok Kee’ We Mech (It Needs Fire) Phase 1 Project, which includes cultural and prescribed fire and oak restoration treatments intended to restore native fish and wildlife habitat, reduce wildfire risk to local resources, and improve forest resilience. Pursuant to PRC Section 21080.53, this separate project received CDFW Director concurrence in December 2024.
Contact Information
Name
Shannon Johnson
Agency Name
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Job Title
Staff Chief
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Name
Margaret Robbins
Agency Name
Cultural Fire Management Council
Job Title
Executive Director
Contact Types
Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Address
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
unincorporated area, Kep’el
Counties
Humboldt
Regions
Northern California, Unincorporated
Total Acres
200
Other Location Info
Portions of T11N R3E Sec 28 & 33, T10N R3E Sec 2,3,4 & 11 HBM
Upper Yurok Reservation in Humboldt County
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Statutory Exemption
Type, Section or Code
PRC 4799.05(d)(1)
Reasons for Exemption
CEQA does not apply to fuel reduction, reforestation, & habitat restoration projects undertaken, in whole or in part, on federal lands to reduce the risk of high severity wildfire that have been reviewed under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), if the primary role of a state or local agency is providing funding or staffing for those projects. The proposed project was reviewed under the Yurok Sudden Oak Death NEPA Categorical Exclusion (TR-4314-P5 J52), approved September 23, 2026.
The NEPA record of project approval is available to the General Public at: https://www.culturalfire.org/compliance
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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