File Code: 1950, 5150, 2400
Dear Friend of the San Bernardino National Forest,
The USDA Forest Service, San Bernardino National Forest, Mountaintop Ranger District proposes to reduce the level of flammable woody material on national forest land near the communities of Running Springs and Smiley Park (see attached map). The objective is to reduce the risk of wildland fire to these communities and provide defensible space for firefighters by creating an area of reduced fuels along the boundary between private land and Forest Service Land. In areas accessible by road, fuelbreaks would be constructed, which would slow the progress of fires into and out of the community, allowing fire-fighting resources more time to fight fires. In inaccessible areas, small trees and shrubs would be cut, piled by hand, and then burned on site. Recognizing the extreme fire risk in the area, implementation would begin as soon as possible.
Purpose and Need
The San Bernardino National Forest is currently experiencing an extreme drought. The recorded rainfall for the past five years in the San Bernardino Mountains is the lowest in recorded history for southern California (going back around 140 years). Due to the interaction of drought stress and pollution with bark beetles, root disease, and other pathogens, millions of trees have died or will die.
The extremely high numbers of dead trees in the Forest as well as dense stands of green trees and shrubs have created a serious fire threat to the forest and its communities. Stands of dead and dying trees and dense understories of shrubs and trees have created dangerous fuel ladders. The increased accumulation of forest floor fuels, and the increased density of understory trees have caused an increase in fire intensity and extreme fire behavior. Current fuel levels have led to catastrophic fires that have destroyed millions of dollars of private property. A fuels reduction project on national forest land adjacent to the communities of Running Springs and Smiley Park would reduce the risk of catastrophic fire in these communities.
Proposed Action
An 800 foot wide fuelbreak would start east of the intersection of State Highway 18 and Fredalba Road and extend approximately three quarters of a mile south to the southeastern corner of Smiley Park. Another fuelbreak would be constructed one mile east of the first fuelbreak. The fuelbreaks would be constructed by reducing understory fuels (shrubs and tree seedlings) midstory fuels (young to middle aged trees) and fuel ladders (smaller trees and shrubs directly under large trees). A moderately closed canopy (upper layer of tree crowns) would be retained, which would result in much of the forest floor being shaded. Within the fuelbreak, there would be three levels of treatment. After treatment, the quantity of fuels would generally be lowest within 100 feet from the property boundary and SH 18. The quantity of fuels would be slightly higher between 100 and 300 feet of the property boundary/SH 18 and would remain essentially unchanged at distances greater than 300 feet (generally, only pockets of dead trees would be removed at this distance). Treatment activities would include mechanical clearing of trees and brush using chain saws and heavy equipment, removal of logs by skidding with heavy equipment, and piling of slash (limbs, tops of trees, and brush) by hand or with heavy equipment. Chipping, pile burning, and broadcast burning are the tools that would be used to remove residual slash and maintain fuels at an acceptable level.
Between these two fuelbreaks, the terrain is too steep for fuelbreak construction. Furthermore, there is no road access. In order to slow the progress of fires into this area, small trees and brush would be reduced in certain strategic areas by cutting, piling, and burning the woody material. All work would be accomplished without the use of heavy equipment. These activities would take place in an 800 foot wide swath along the private property boundary.
The project area is is 227 acres, with 115 acres of small fuels reduction and 127 acres in the 800 foot fuelbreak and. The actual acres treated would be less than this amount when heritage sites and sensitive plant and wildlife species habitats are avoided. All occupied threatened and endangered species habitat as well as designated critical habitat would be avoided. There would be no permanent road construction; however, a closed forest service road along the east side of Smiley Park would be repaired and used to bring in heavy equipment. Project implementation is expected to start July 2004. After initial treatment, the fuelbreak would be maintained on an as needed basis.
Based on the information available at this time, it is highly probable that that this project can be categorically excluded from requiring an environmental assessment (EA) or an environmental impact statement (EIS) because it meets the requirements of category 10 specified in the Forest Service Handbook (FSH1909.5, section 31.2) as not requiring an EA or an EIS. The specific purpose of category 10 is to facilitate efficient planning and decisions concerning treatment of hazardous fuels to reduce risks to communities (Fed. Register, Vol. 68, No. 108, June 5, 2003). The proposed project would be consistent with the San Bernardino National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan and Record of Decision. Over 10 public meetings have been held during the past year, including meetings of the Arrowbear and Green Valley Lake Fire Safe Councils, which assisted the Forest Service in identifying this area for treatment.
Public concerns and comments regarding this proposed action are important to me. I will take into consideration all public concerns when making a final decision, which will include a determination whether this project can be categorically excluded from an EA or an EIS. My preference for receiving comments is by email. Please send comments to: mtforesthealth@fs.fed.us by June 9 with the words “Running Springs Project” in the subject line. If you are unable to send comments electronically, you may send to the following address: Running Springs Project, Big Bear Ranger Station, P.O. Box 290, Fawnskin, CA 92333. Comments must be postmarked no later than June 9, 2004. In addition, the Mountaintop Ranger District Staff will answer questions and concerns regarding these projects, on June 3, 2004 from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at the Metropolitan Water District Office, 40524 Lakeview Drive, in Big Bear CA (located at the corner of Lakeview Dr. and Payne Rd.). We will consider issues and concerns to refine the proposed actions.
Sincerely,
ALLISON L. STEWART District Ranger Enclosures |
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