U.S. Forest Service Advances Wildfire Project Spanning Two Forests

Published Apr 16, 2026 4:17 pm

STF pile burning on the Calaveras Ranger District—STF photo

Sonora, CA— The Stanislaus and Eldorado national forests are moving forward with the Wildfire Mokelumne Amador Calaveras Forest Health and Resilience Project.

The U.S. Forest Service will publish the completed environmental impact statement for the Mokelumne Amador Calaveras Forest Health and Resilience Project in the Federal Register tomorrow (Friday, April 17, 2026). The project, managed by the Amador Ranger District of the Eldorado National Forest and the Calaveras Ranger District of the Stanislaus National Forest, is significant and encompasses 246,838 acres across both forests. It focuses on reducing wildfire risks, protecting nearby communities, and enhancing the overall health of the forest ecosystem.

The work will include prescribed fire, timber harvesting, mastication fuel reduction, building fuel breaks, and nonnative invasive species eradication, with forest officials noting that many of these treatments may overlap in areas. The major goal of these efforts is to strengthen forest resilience to wildfire and drought by lowering vegetation density and accumulation in certain areas.

As reported earlier here, two meetings, one virtual and the other in person, were held in October 2024 to gather public feedback on potential activities and areas of concern.

“Public input throughout the planning process has been vital to ensuring the project meets the needs of communities and forests,” noted forest officials. “Feedback from diverse stakeholders has provided practical insights that strengthen environmental protections and enhance forest resilience strategies.”

The project was developed in collaboration with the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Authority, which provided planning and management, and a consultant team (Stantec). The initiative was also created in partnership with the Amador-Calaveras Consensus Group, made up of professionals, environmental groups, industrial representatives, recreation groups, local and regional government officials, and research scientists.

Following the Federal Register notice, each forest will sign a record of decision, which will also be posted on the project’s website (click here).