Sugarloaf Fuels Reduction - Good Neighbor Authority

The Sugarloaf Fuels Reduction project is a Good Neighbor Authority initiative led by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to implement fuels reduction activities across 732 acres of the Sequoia National Forest in the Western Divide Ranger District, Tulare County. The primary objective is to reduce wildfire risk to local residents by creating shaded fuel breaks around communities. This will be achieved through the thinning and removal of live or dead ladder fuels, surface fuels, and dead trees using both manual and mechanical methods, as well as through pile burning. The project is governed by the Good Neighbor Authority under 16 U.S.C. § 2113a and follows a NEPA decision signed on July 29, 2025. It is statutorily exempt from CEQA under Public Resources Code Section 4799.05(d)(1). Administratively, the project utilizes CAL FIRE's established contracting and operational procedures to streamline work on federal lands. The effort is categorized under NAICS code 113110 and was posted as a forecast on June 30, 2026, with Austin Law serving as the primary point of contact.