The Lassen National Forest is seeking input on issues, concerns, and opportunities associated with the proposed Dixie Fire Community Protection and Swain Mountain Experimental Forest Vegetation Management Project.
The proposed project is designed to support postfire recovery and restoration in the areas burned by the 2021 Dixie Fire within the wildland urban interface, extended community protection zones, and the Swain Mountain Experimental Forest. The Pacific Southwest Research Station and the Lassen National Forest are proposing to implement a variety of vegetation and fuel treatments designed to maintain or promote desired stand structure, reduce fuel loads, increase resilience of surviving forest stands to future disturbance, and facilitate forest recovery through reforestation and natural regeneration.
Management action is intended to reduce the risk of wildfire impacts to communities and critical infrastructure, reduce the potential for future extreme fire behavior, and provide an opportunity to address relevant research objectives in the Swain Mountain Experimental Forest.
The project is located within the Almanor, Hat Creek, and Eagle Lake ranger districts of the Lassen National Forest within the Dixie Fire perimeter. It is concentrated around several community areas across the Lassen National Forest, including Baccala Ranch, Bogart Work Center, Canyon Dam, Chester, Coon Hollow, Humbug Valley, Old Station, Prattville, Silver Lake, and Warner Valley. The Swain Mountain Experimental Forest and Jennie Springs research area, although not communities at risk, are included in the project area.
The proposed project area includes approximately 48,390 acres of National Forest System lands in Butte, Lassen, Plumas, Shasta, and Tehama counties.
A public scoping process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) commences with this notice and public involvement in this analysis process is encouraged. Any comments related to the proposed action (as supported by the purpose and need) for this project are welcome during this scoping period. More information on this project, including a description of the proposed action, purpose and need, and a project map is available on the Project’s website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/lassen/?project=63425.
Please email comments to: comments-pacificsouthwest-lassen@usda.gov (include “Dixie Fire Community Protection” in the subject line), or submit your written comments to Deb Bumpus, Forest Supervisor, 2550 Riverside Drive, Susanville, CA 96130, or faxed them to (530) 252-6428. For those submitting hand-delivered comments to the Lassen National Forest at 2550 Riverside Drive, Susanville, CA 96130, business hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Please submit your comments by October 18, 2023.
The public is invited to attend a virtual meeting to learn more about the project on September 28, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Information about the meeting, including a meeting link can be found on the project’s webpage provided above. The meeting can also be attended in person at the Almanor Ranger District, 900 E. Hwy 36, Chester, CA 96020.
Information submitted by Lassen National Forest
