Prescribed Fire
While prescribed fire has been used as a vegetation management tool across California for many years, several factors have limited its widespread use including resource availability, liability issues and public acceptance of fire and smoke. Federal, state and local agencies, tribal governments, non-governmental organizations and landowners understand the urgency in overcoming these barriers to increase the use of prescribed fire. These entities come together in the Prescribed Fire Work Group, and are actively collaborating to get more “good” fire on the ground.
resources
Guidance
CAL FIRE Prescribed Fire Guidebook
Prescribed Fire Burn Boss State Certification Program
Find Your Local Prescribed Burn Association and learn more about prescribed fire at the California PBA website
Publications
Can Prescribed Fires Mitigate Health Harm? A Review of Air Quality and Public Health Implications of Wildfire and Prescribed Fire (American Lung Association, May 2022)
Adapting western North American forests to climate change and wildfires: 10 common questions. (USFS 2021)
Good for the Forest. Good for the Future. Prescribed Fire Storymap (USFS 2021)
Revitalizing Stewardship and Use of Tribal Traditional Territories: Options For Improving California Policy and Law in State-Managed Lands and Waters (Berkey et al., June 2021)
Pages 14-21 — Measuring Success: Monitoring Program Assesses Benefits of Prescribed Burning
Fighting Fire With Fire in California
REPORTS
California’s Strategic Plan for Expanding the Use of Beneficial Fire, March 2022
Audio: CAP Radio Interview, May 11, 2020. California’s Strategic Plan for Expanding the use of Beneficial Fire
Memorandum of Understanding for the Purpose of Increasing the Use of Fire to Meet Ecological and Other Management Objectives Including the Protection of Public Health and Community Safety (Fire MOU)
TOOLS
The California Smoke Spotter app provides a comprehensive overview of the latest information on prescribed fires, projected smoke impacts, current air quality and educational material.
Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS) shows current ignitions across California.
Work Group: Prescribed Fire
Partnering Organizations
Work Group leads
CAL FIRE – Frank Bigelow; Key Action Lead
California Air Resources Board – Greg Vlasek; Key Action Lead
CAL FIRE – Jamie Sammut; Key Action Lead
CAL FIRE – Mark Rosenberg; Key Action Lead
CAL FIRE – John McCarthy; Key Action Lead
CAL FIRE – Christine McMorrow; Key Action Lead
U.S. Forest Service – Stephen Fillmore
CA Air Pollution Control Officers Association – Kathryn Coke
CA Air Pollution Control Officers Association – Larry Greene
Fire Restoration Group – Craig Thomas
Placerville Air District – Ann Hobbs
Karuk Tribe – Bill Tripp
The Nature Conservancy – Dan Porter
CSU Chico – Don Hankins
UC Agriculture & Natural Resources – Lenya Quinn-Davidson
Tall Timbers – Morgan Varner
Watershed Research & Training Center – Nick Goulette
Len Nielson, CAL FIRE
Lance Noxon, U.S. Forest Service
Work Group Facilitator
Gretchen Woessner, CAL FIRE
Key Actions Assigned:
1.18 – 1.27, 2.32