Loma Prieta Communication Tower Wildfire Protection

The project involves implementing vegetation treatment activities on approximately 55 acres surrounding the Loma Prieta communication tower complex to mitigate wildfire risk and enhance the defensibility of critical infrastructure located in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone. The treatment area is dominated by manzanita chaparral with intermittent knobcone pine and Douglas fir. Key actions include establishing up to 100 feet of defensible space around the infrastructure, masticating vegetation within 20 feet of Mount Umunhum Road, Loma Prieta Road, and Mount Chual Spur Road to improve emergency access and reduce roadside ignition risks, and conducting prescribed burns within three designated units surrounding the tower after mechanical or manual pretreatment. Control lines will be aligned along existing roads where possible or built as necessary to support safe and effective prescribed fire operations, all in compliance with the Environmental Protection Plan’s best management practices. Treated areas will be monitored and re-entered on a 5- to 10-year cycle to sustain reduced fuel loads and long-term protection. The design and implementation of treatments are guided by PRC §4483 to ensure wildfire hazard reduction without altering the native chaparral ecosystem into non-native grasslands or other vegetation types. All work is being carried out under the authority of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, with Scott Bullock, Forester I, listed as the primary point of contact. The project is forecasted for future action, with a posted date of June 12, 2026, and is expected to be performed within California, specifically in the vicinity of the Loma Prieta communication tower complex.