Rumsey Buffer - Fuels Management and Pile Burning

This fuels management, implemented by CAL FIRE Lake Napa Unit, includes chainsaw work to thin and manage dead and overgrown fuels and pile burn on approximately 12 acres on a private property in Rumsey Canyon Road. This is oak woodland with some non-native and native shrubs. The Yolo County Resource Conservatibn District (RCD) and the Yolo Prescribed Burn Association (PBA) may supplement CAL FIRE's efforts or expand fuels management and thinning in subsequent project areas on the listed parcels. Yolo County RCD is the main project coordinator and will ensure implementation is consistent with environmental compliance. CAL FIRE will be the implementing entity to perform fuels management using chainsaws to thin fuels, stack burn piles, and burn those piles. Work will not occur when fire risk is high (hot weather and/or high winds). The work will focus on dead and· down fuels. Healthy, live trees will .be retained. Trees to be removed will be no larger than 6 inches diameter at breast height. The primary management objective for the project is hazardous fuels reduction and a clear fire break on an area north of the community of Rumsey. This project adds additional acreage of managed acres to the Rumsey Buffer Project. All pile burning will be performed or supervised by CAL FIRE Lake Napa Sonoma Unit in accordance with the terms and conditions of an air quality burn permit issued by the Yolo-Solano Air Quality Management District. Fuels management and pile burning decreases fuel continuity, which reduces the probability of catastrophic wildfires and promotes a healthy ecosystem. A biological assessment performed by Yolo County RCD identified no relevant species of concern within the burn unit area. Yolo County RCD qualified biologists will survey the project area for species of concern at least one week prior to treatment. If species of concern are located, activities will be modified to prevent impacts. Work may occur during nesting bird season. If work commences during nesting bird season (February 1st to September 15th) the project area will be surveyed for nesting birds no more than one week prior to operations by a qualified biologist. If nesting birds are located, the Yolo County Resource Conservation District will take measures that avoid impacts and are consistent with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.