Private forest landowners in California are increasingly interested in using prescribed fire for vegetation management. When properly done, prescribed fire can be used effectively in many different vegetation types, at different times of the year and under different weather conditions. Depending on landowner objectives, it can also be less expensive than other traditional vegetation management practices. However, before one starts a burn, there are several logistical matters that must be taken into consideration, and a Prescribed Fire Go/No Go Checklist can make sure critical pieces are not overlooked.

Rob York, UC Cooperative...

Reposted from the UC Berkeley News

In his years managing California woodlands, Rob York has come up with a few quick and easy ways to gage whether a forest is prepared for wildfire. “The first question I like to ask is, ‘Can you run through the forest?'” York says.

York, an assistant cooperative extension specialist and adjunct associate professor of forestry at UC Berkeley, poses the question while standing in a grove of pine trees during a tour of 

Study finds resilient, frequent-fire forests have far fewer trees

What does a “resilient” forest look like in California's Sierra Nevada? A lot fewer trees than we're used to, according to a study of frequent-fire forests from the University of California, Davis.

More than a century ago, Sierra Nevada forests faced almost no competition from neighboring trees for resources. The tree densities of the late 1800s would...

There is increasing concern about fire hazard from fuels accumulation in riparian areas and what forest landowners can do to manage these areas. Riparian vegetation and forests have ecological importance in terms of water quality and quantity, and wildlife and aquatic habitat. They also have social value such as recreation, natural heritage and aesthetics. These values are important to forest landowners, but is it possible to balance protection of riparian areas with fire hazard reduction?

Historical fire in riparian areas. In the last decade,we've come to better understand fire regimes in riparian areas. Research by