Categorical exclusion · example
Pliocene Ridge Roadside Fuel Break
Builds fuel breaks and removes hazard trees on about 3,000 acres of National Forest land along roads, using thinning, mastication and prescribed fire, to reduce wildfire risk to nearby communities and protect access routes.1
Facts from USDA Forest Service public records, each linked by number to its source; checked November 13, 2026. Section notes by ePlan.
At a glance
- Where
- East of Pike City and the Yuba River Ranger Station in Camptonville, along Pliocene Ridge, Henness Pass and Mountain House Roads and NFS Roads 07, 12, 54 and 98; Yuba and Sierra Counties, California.1
- Size
- Up to 3,000 acres along 36.2 miles of roads (the project page says about 34 miles)2
- Lead agency
- USDA Forest Service, Tahoe National Forest, Yuba River Ranger District (with Sierraville Ranger District)1
- Review
- Categorical exclusion, documented in a decision memo2
- Legal citation
- Categorical exclusion 32.3(11), with special authority 2021 Infrastructure: Fuel Break CE1
- Status
- Completed; decision memo signed August 29, 20251
Timeline
Documents USDA Forest Service published
- PDFPlioceneFuelBreakDM-Signed0829-2025Posted August 29, 2025
- PDFFormal Letter 1 Signature (wet-sign)Posted March 26, 2025
- PDFFortyNinerGold Pliocene Fuelbreaks ProposedAction 11x17Posted March 26, 2025
- PDFPlioceneRidge Fuelbreaks ProposedAction ArchDPosted March 26, 2025
- PDFPliocene Ridge Fuelbreak Proposed ActionPosted March 26, 2025
- PDFTwo Fuel Breaks Purpose and NeedPosted March 26, 2025
What the documents say
PlioceneFuelBreakDM-Signed0829-2025
- DECISION
- Describes the need to protect Pike, Camptonville, Forest City and Alleghany in three high-risk firesheds, and decides on treatments on up to 3,000 acres along 36 miles of roads.2
- PROPOSED ACTION
- Sets thinning to 0.5 to 1.5 crown widths, retains large trees, and lists road mileages, with 800-foot-wide breaks along 36.2 miles and 100-foot breaks on 1.8 miles.2
- Fuel Break Maintenance Treatments
- Allows later re-treatment by mechanical or hand methods and ground-applied herbicide on resprouting manzanita, tanoak and ceanothus to keep shrub cover below 30 percent for 5 to 10 years.2
Start one like it.
A project like Pliocene Ridge Roadside Fuel Break? Describe yours and ePlan drafts the scoping letter. What's the name of your fuel break?
More examples
- Top Road Fuel Break, Umatilla National ForestCategorical exclusion · Implementation (estimated) August 2025
- North Sierra Peak Fuel Break, Cleveland National ForestCategorical exclusion · Decision signed May 9, 2025
- Roundtree Fuelbreak, Sierra National ForestCategorical exclusion · Decision signed April 17, 2025
- El Dorado Canal Fuel Break, Eldorado National ForestCategorical exclusion · Implementation (estimated) February 2025
Fuel break plan · Tahoe National Forest projects · All Forest Service projects
Sources
- Pliocene Ridge Roadside Fuel Break: Forest Service project pagefs.usda.gov
- PlioceneFuelBreakDM-Signed0829-2025usfs-public.app.box.com