Central Coast Good Fire Fair 2026
About the Event
Learn the how, where and why fire is used to manage the natural landscape at the Central Coast Good Fire Fair on Saturday, Oct. 10. The fair is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in Felton in Santa Cruz County. The event is sponsored by the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources Fire Network & Santa Cruz Mountains Forests Program and California State Parks.
"If conditions are right, you'll be able to see a prescribed fire carried out by local resource managers right in the heart of a Santa Cruz Mountains coast redwood grove" said Brian Woodward, UC Cooperative Extension forest advisor for Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties.
The Good Fire Fair will offer educational activities for children and adults:
- Learn how to safely build, tend and extinguish a campfire
- Watch a live prescribed fire of redwood understory growth (likely between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., depending on the weather and permitting safe and favorable conditions)
- Savor sandwiches, burgers and Venezuelan food from local food trucks
- Observe demonstrations and visit informative booths
- Learn how to make your home more resilient to wildfire
- Test your fire knowledge and win prizes
“The event will also include organizations from across our region related to good fire, home hardening, and natural resource management, with lots of fun activities for those of all ages,” said Woodward.
The event is free, but parking at the park is $10. No registration required.