Modoc Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction Project-Phase 2 Modoc Recreational Estates

The Modoc Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Reduction Project Phase 2, managed by the Modoc Resource Conservation District, focuses on increasing wildfire resilience and improving emergency access for the Modoc Recreational Estates community and surrounding areas in Alturas, California. The project involves shaded roadside fuel reduction treatments across approximately 164 acres, with roughly 134 acres targeted under the proposed grant. Work will be concentrated along strategic roadway alignments, including Pencil Road, Mallard Drive, Pintail Drive, Pheasant Drive, and Mountain Trout Drive, creating up to 100 feet of defensible space on both sides of these roads. The scope of work includes the removal of all juniper trees with a diameter at breast height of 10 inches or less and the thinning of larger trees to maintain a canopy cover distance of 20 to 40 feet. Implementation methods include mastication, hand thinning, and chipping of understory vegetation and surface fuels. To ensure environmental protection, the project prohibits the removal of old growth juniper trees and requires the avoidance of wetlands and other sensitive habitats. The project is classified as a forecast under NAICS code 561730 and has been granted an exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act under Class 4, Section 15304, for minor alterations to land or vegetation.