Mountain Rim Fire Safe Council Regional Fire Safe Project – Wrightwood, Mt. Baldy, and Lytle Creek

The project aims to enhance fire safety in the Wrightwood, Mt. Baldy, and Lytle Creek communities by creating defensible space within 100 feet of structures through the manual removal of vegetation, debris, and hazardous trees. Work includes pruning or felling dead, dying, diseased, and hazardous live trees, as well as clearing shrubs, leaves, pine needles, weeds, and downed branches, with all cut material either left in place, piled for firewood, chipped and spread on-site, or hauled away. Operations must minimize ground disturbance by using only existing roads, driveways, and pullouts for equipment movement, and tree logs must be cut into manageable lengths and removed by hand when necessary. Work may proceed during nesting bird season only after conducting pre-season surveys to ensure compliance with environmental protections. Maintenance will be performed annually or as needed, coordinated with CAL FIRE to sustain defensible space standards. The project relies on manual tools such as chainsaws, shovels, Mcleods, and pulaskis, with chippers used for debris processing, and heavy equipment restricted to previously disturbed areas. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) is the lead agency administering the project under a forecast notice posted on December 10, 2025, with no solicitation or contract number assigned. The scope is directly tied to available funding, and the number of parcels completed will vary accordingly. The project qualifies under a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor land alterations under California Code of Regulations Title 14 Section 15304, and all activities are designed to comply with state fire safety regulations regarding clearance distances from chimneys, stovepipes, and adjacent vegetation. Inspection and acceptance occur on-site by CAL FIRE personnel to verify compliance with defensible space standards. No formal contract clauses, pricing details, evaluation factors, or offeror certifications have been documented, and the project operates under an operational framework focused on environmental protection and community safety rather than traditional procurement structure. The point of contact for the project is David Haas, Forester II, based in San Bernardino, California.