California Doubles Down on Fire Prevention with Executive Order

Strategic Insights -

As the state continues to face the pressing issue of catastrophic wildfires, Governor Gavin Newsom has signed an executive order expanding the use of beneficial fire – also known as prescribed burns and cultural fire – as a tool to reduce wildfire risk. The order aims to reduce red tape and increase the use of beneficial fire in the coming months, while also addressing air quality concerns associated with smoke and enabling resource conservation districts and other entities to carry out prescribed fire projects.

Key Takeaways:

  • Governor Newsom's executive order directs state agencies to reduce red tape and expand tools to safely deploy prescribed fire, building on recent progress to implement beneficial fire as a wildfire risk reduction tool.
  • The order supports collaborative efforts to update prescribed fire permitting, address air quality concerns, and enable resource conservation districts and other entities to carry out prescribed fire projects.
  • The Governor is also directing state agencies to provide immediate on-the-ground support to local governments and fire practitioners to maximize use of beneficial fire in the coming months.
  • California aims to treat up to 400,000 acres with beneficial fire annually by 2025, with a long-term goal of applying beneficial fire to 1.5 million acres a year by 2045 to reduce catastrophic wildfire risk and achieve the state's climate goals.
  • The Governor's action helps ensure that California does not miss the critical fall weather window to conduct prescribed burns, despite the federal government shutdown and President Trump's gutting of the US Forest Service.
  • The executive order helps strengthen and build on California's wildfire prevention strategy by accelerating funding and projects, expanding local participation, working with tribal communities, increasing education and data, and mitigating air quality risks.
  • California has made significant progress in using beneficial fire, with prescribed fire treatments in the state nearly doubling between 2021 and 2023, and federal, state, and local agencies completing 260,000 acres of prescribed fire treatments in 2023.
  • The Governor's Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force has issued California's Strategic Plan for Expanding the Use of Beneficial Fire, which sets an ambitious goal to treat up to 400,000 acres with beneficial fire annually by 2025.

Statistics:

  • $72 million for projects across the state that help reduce catastrophic wildfire risk, announced by the Governor in late May.
  • 159 new vegetation management projects spanning 33,000 acres across the state approved for fast-tracking under the Governor's new streamlining initiative.
  • 260,000 acres of prescribed fire treatments completed in 2023 by federal, state, and local agencies.
  • Prescribed fire treatments in California nearly doubled between 2021 and 2023.
  • CAL FIRE met and exceeded its 50,000-acre goal for beneficial fire in 2023, despite the Park Fire in late 2024 and the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles.
  • Over 20 prescribed fire training sessions held by CARB in close coordination with the California Air Pollution Control Officers Association.

Sources:

  • Executive Order: [No external link provided]
  • Governor Newsom's Statement on Wildfire and Forest Resilience: [No external link provided]
  • California's Strategic Plan for Expanding the Use of Beneficial Fire: [No external link provided]
  • Governor Newsom's Announcement of $72 Million for Wildfire Risk Reduction Projects: [No external link provided]
  • California Air Resources Board (CARB) Press Release on Prescribed Fire Training Sessions: [No external link provided]
  • CAL FIRE's Prescribed Fire Monitoring Program Manual: [No external link provided]
  • Governor Newsom's Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force: [No external link provided]