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PRESS RELEASE. From Caltrans District 4’s Devil’s Slide – Martini Creek Bypass Fuels Reduction Project webpage, on April 3rd, 2026. Red Alert Montara Moss Beach (RAMMB) on Nextdoor.
SAN MATEO COUNTY ― Caltrans will begin fuel reduction work to mitigate wildfire risk along a Caltrans-owned parcel known as the “Devil’s Slide Bypass” or the “Martini Creek Bypass” area in Montara and Moss Beach. Crews will remove vegetation, including trees, bark, limbs and other debris, to create defensible space between private property lines and state Right-of-Way, as recommended by CAL FIRE.
The wildfire mitigation project is scheduled to begin in May, 2026 and take between two and three months to complete. Neighbors should expect daytime work and noise. All work will take place on weekdays.
To learn more about the project, including frequently asked questions, please visit the project website. Additional details, including start times and specific work locations, will be shared as we get closer to the May start date.
Thank you for your patience as we work to mitigate wildfire risk on state property.
For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans QuickMap: quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
Project Overview
Caltrans will begin fuel reduction work to mitigate wildfire risk along a Caltrans-owned parcel known as the “Devil’s Slide Bypass” or the “Martini Creek Bypass” area in Montara and Moss Beach. Crews will remove vegetation, including trees, bark, limbs and other debris, to create defensible space between private property lines and state Right-of-Way, as recommended by CAL FIRE. The fuel reduction project is estimated to begin in May, 2026 and will take between two and three months to complete. Neighbors should expect daytime work and noise. All work will take place on weekdays.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the project start?
A vegetation management contractor is scheduled to start vegetation work in May, 2026 and complete work by July, 2026.
Why does this parcel need fuel reduction work?
In 2025, California updated its Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) maps to better reflect current and future wildfire risks across the state. These maps, developed by the Office of the State Fire Marshal, are a critical tool for public safety and land-use planning. By law, the State Fire Marshal is required to classify lands within State Responsibility Areas into designated zones: Moderate, High, or Very High risk, based on factors such as vegetation, topography, weather patterns, and historical fire behavior. Many areas, such as the Devil’s Slide parcel, have been reclassified to reflect an elevated fire risk.
How will Caltrans protect the environment in the parcel?
Caltrans prioritizes the protection of natural resources to support the long‑term ecological health of its Right-of-Way. A biologist will be on-site to ensure that species and the watershed are protected. Any trees marked for removal with active birds’ nests will be removed only after all birds have fledged.
Why did Caltrans acquire this land?
In the 1970s, Caltrans set out to solve an annual problem: the frequent closures of the Devil’s Slide portion of Highway 1 due to rockslides during the rainy season. Devil’s Slide, a narrow, landslide-prone stretch of land between Pacifica and Montara, needed to become a reliable coastal route so Caltrans initially proposed building a highway bypass over Montara Mountain. After years of planning and public debate, that vision gave way to a modified solution: boring twin tunnels through San Pedro Mountain. While the tunnel ultimately opened in 2013, the land Caltrans acquired for the original bypass remains under state ownership.
Can a local agency take over this parcel?
San Mateo County’s Local Coastal Program (LCP) Policy 11.33 governs Caltrans’ ability to sell the land acquired for the Devil’s Slide Bypass project. This policy mandates the preparation and certification of a Specific Plan by the California Coastal Commission for all properties within the bypass alignment before the properties can be declared excess and sold. The policy aims to ensure that any future use of the land prioritizes public recreation, open space, habitat protection, or trail development. Until such a Specific Plan is adopted and certified, the land remains under Caltrans’ ownership and has restricted uses. This framework was established to protect the coastal environment and ensure that any changes to the land use align with broader community and ecological goals.
From RAMMB’s Chair, Larry de Young
Thanks to you, Caltrans, and CalFire (The State) for the Devil’s Slide Bypass vegetation mitigation project, which will start in May 2026.
When I started RAMMB, I always believed that the State would do the right thing. We had a just and compelling argument for getting the project done, and the State agreed.
A member of RAMMB once told me that democracy is not always pretty. I have no regrets about the “not pretty part” I contributed to. I knew that the vegetation management project would require a considerable government financial outlay, that we would face resistance in getting the project approved, and that RAMMB would need to be aggressive in achieving our goals.
Fortunately, RAMMB had an incredible steering committee that helped balance our strategy and tactics, public relations people who helped bring the issue to the media, and massive community support.
Given the speed at which the project has been approved, we apparently also had support within the State.
We started RAMMB in February 2025, so having the project scheduled to start in May 2026 is a remarkable accomplishment for both RAMMB and the State.
We obviously could not have done this without you.
If RAMMB can be of any help in the vegetative mitigation project, please let me know. For instance, if needed, we could help identify private landowners willing to store some of the heavy equipment near the project site.
We may also want to arrange a joint news conference and celebration at the start of the project. We need all the good news we can get, and we should be celebrating our joint achievement.
Sincerely,
Larry De Young, Ph.D, Chair of Red Alert Montara Moss Beach (RAMMB)
More on Red Alert Montara Moss Beach (RAMMB) and the Caltrans ROW on Coastside Buzz
RAMMB Update: Caltrans to Begin Fire Mitigation Along Date Street Between Drake and Franklin in Montara the Week of October 27th, 2025; October 23, 2025
Author: mdrag
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