Napa Prescribed Burn Association

Our Mission 

The Mission of the Napa County PBA is to build a volunteer-based mutual aid group that empowers the community to use responsible controlled burning practices to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire and restore ecosystem health by providing the education, training, and resources to conduct prescribed burns. 

Napa PBA was established in 2023 and is working to build a community around helping neighbors bring good fire to the landscape.  Currently, we are working on outreach, education, and training opportunities to engage the community in safe and ecological burning.  We welcome and encourage anyone interested in prescribed fire to join us!

Napa PBA Sign-Up

 

Learn more about Prescribed Fire 

Join Our Steering Committee

Want to get more involved with community-based burning in Napa County? Apply for a spot on the Napa PBA steering committee and join our team of volunteers guiding the movement. We are looking for folks with a variety of backgrounds and skills that will support the growing Napa PBA and help bring more beneficial fire to our Napa County communities and ecosystems. To learn more and to apply, visit the form linked here.  

 

Please reach out to danielle@naparcd.org with any questions. 

Interested in a Prescribed Burn on your Property?

Prescribed fire is a tool that can be used for many goals and objectives such as rangeland improvement, fuel reduction, follow-up treatment to other stewardship activities, and more.  

The PBA can help landowners navigate the permitting process, offers technical assistance, and coordinates volunteers and equipment for the day of the burn.  We assist with both pile burns and broadcast burns.    

If you are interested in having the PBA help implement a burn on your on your property, contact Tori Norville, trnorville@ucanr.edu, or Danielle Ashton, danielle@naparcd.org to set up a site visit.   

Resources

General Prescribed Fire Resources

Working with Prescribed Burn Associations

Prescribed Fire Liability in California - background information on liability laws in California and recommendations for mitigating prescribed fire liability concerns (note - slightly older publication.  For up-to-date liability information click here)  

Smoke Resources 

Comparing Community Smoke Exposure from Wildfires to Prescribed Fire in the United States

USFS: Smoke 101 and Differences between Wildfire and Prescribed Fire Smoke in the Western United States 

Events

Below are our upcoming events, burns, and trainings.  Click the links to sign up.  

**Coming Soon**

Our Story

 

Napa PBA Assists with PUC Broadcast Burn May 2025 

In May of 2025, members of the Napa PBA assisted with a 28 acre broadcast burn at Pacific Union College (PUC) Forest. The burn was part of a CALFIRE Forest Health Grant that was awarded in 2022.  The burn was done in partnership with NCFF, PUC, CALFIRE, and the PBAs from Yolo and Solano Counties.    

 

Fire Lighter Training 2024 

August 2024 Napa PBA in collaboration with Yolo PBA and Solano RCD hosted a Fire Lighter Training to provide fire knowledge and skills to PBA members.  The two virtual trainings focused on the 'Fire Environment' which discussed factors to fire behavior and 'Fire Operations' which detailed burn plans, safety concerns on the fire, and tools.  The virtual trainings were paired with a hands-on skill day that allowed members to build hand lines, learn firing patterns, and utilize tools for measuring weather. 

 

Pile Burning at PUC March 2024

After a some good rain, about 18 members of the PBA met to help burn piles by the Pacific Union College dorms.  These piles had been made while creating a shaded fuel break along the ridge behind the dorms.  The PBA worked together with CALFIRE to light and monitor about 50 piles and completed about a 1/3 of the project area.  Due to weather conditions, the remaining piles had to be left for the next burn season.