MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest is planning a hazard tree management project on approximately 7,000 acres adjacent to selected roads within the Ranch fire area.

The purpose of the project is to provide a safe transportation system to access key areas including private property, communication sites, facilities and developed recreation areas.

The project involves treating all hazard trees that compromise forest visitor and employee safety along priority roads.

Merchantable trees with 50 percent or greater probability of fire-induced mortality that pose a hazard will be removed within 200 feet on both sides of selected roads and within 100 feet on the roads that run adjacent to the Snow Mountain Wilderness.

Smaller non-merchantable hazard trees will be treated in a variety of ways such as chipping or hauling to biomass processing plants.

Hazard tree management along travel corridors is a forest-wide safety priority that needs to be completed before roads within the burned area can be safely reopened to the public.

The first project will be the Bartlett project on the Upper Lake Ranger District, involving approximately 500 acres around Bartlett Springs Road and arterial roads.

The Ranch fire area remains closed due to potential threats to life and safety.

“Post-fire threats include flooding, debris flows, hazard trees and loss of ingress and egress along roads, trails, recreation areas, and facilities,” said Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson. “Forest employees are doing everything possible to reasonably reduce risks to the public and reopen areas as soon as possible. We are also exploring opportunities for volunteers to help with cleanup and restoration.”

The areas proposed for hazard tree management will be analyzed under 36 CFR 220.6 (d) (4), to meet National Environmental Protection Act requirements.

This category provides for repair and maintenance of roads, trails and landline boundaries.

A larger version of the project map is available here.