Michael Baker and Tidal Basin, a Michael Baker International Company, teamed to address the FEMA Major Disaster Declarations for the Inland Branch 2020 fires that impacted California’s Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake, Solano, Yuba and Yolo counties. The 2020 fires were some of the worst fires in history with over 8,100 fires on nearly 4.5 million acres of land. The project area contained two of the largest fire zones: the August Complex with over 1 million acres and the LNU Lightning Complex with over 360,000 acres impacted. The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services led this federally funded project.
Michael Baker’s environmental team was responsible for addressing biological and cultural resources, water quality, historic property compliance and other factors related to the emergency clean-up. The firm helped acquire streamlined waivers, permits and approvals and oversaw the environmental protection plan on behalf of regional, state and federal agencies.
The team tracked and documented research, field work and construction oversight in Smart Sheets and geographic information systems (GIS) to expedite the clean-up process while minimizing the potential for adverse effects. Tasks included GIS mapping and the creation of a progress dashboard, site assessments for sensitive biological, water and cultural resources and implementation of avoidance measures and best management practices.
The biological team monitored fish, wildlife and sensitive habitats. The water quality specialists monitored activities for interactions with water bodies throughout the completion of work.
Michael Baker provided environmental awareness training for all staff and contractors to ensure activities followed guidance to protect sensitive areas including historic and cultural resources. We also worked as a Tribal Liaison to incorporate Native American tribes into the clean-up process following FEMA directive compliance.
Tidal Basin led debris cleanup efforts while coordinating closely with FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Governor’s Office, the State Historic Preservation Office and five tribal nations. Challenging terrain and multiple water crossings within the Inland Branch required innovative solutions, including helicopter access and establishing a detailed hazardous tree removal process, with intensive employee training to support the safe removal of more than 3,000 trees.
Tidal Basin adhered to CalOSHA and OSHA requirements while providing monitoring and oversight services for hazardous tree operations. Responsibilities included supervising arborists and deploying trained crew leaders to identify trees eligible for removal under program specifications. The team also managed and documented all activities related to identification, site assessment, removal, and disposal of eligible debris and hazardous trees, tracking data by Assessor’s Parcel Number to ensure accuracy, accountability and regulatory compliance.