As Trump cuts fire response, Governor Newsom expands the state’s fire prevention strategy using proven beneficial fire techniques 

Building on Governor Newsom’s emergency proclamation signed in March to fast-track forest and vegetation management projects throughout the state, today’s executive order directs a suite of actions to fast-track critical work in the coming months.  The order supports collaborative efforts to update prescribed fire permitting, address air quality concerns associated with smoke 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. 

The action comes against a backdrop of a federal government shutdown that has hindered federal prescribed burns, and where President Trump’s gutted U.S. Forest Service has deprioritized critical wildfire prevention efforts, with 25% of positions outside of direct wildfire response already cut.  

A proven strategy, thousands of years in the making

Wildfire is a natural and integral part of California’s environment. California Native American tribes and cultural practitioners have utilized cultural fire since time immemorial to manage lands for ecological and cultural objectives. This managed fire regenerates plant life, supports hunting and gathering, reduces dangerous wildfire, manages temperatures to support fisheries, and continues important cultural practices. Scientific studies indicate that prior to 1800, millions of acres of California lands were burned by tribal communities each year. 

Over the last two centuries, these tribal cultural fire practices were outlawed by state and federal authorities, leading to immense harm and disruption in the lives of California Native Americans. This fundamental shift in land management also resulted in far less managed wildfire and contributed to densely packed forests and landscapes that heighten catastrophic wildfire risk due to exclusion of wildfire. In recent decades, fire professionals and land managers have realized the importance of beneficial fire activities and these practices have been reintroduced at modest levels. These projects have demonstrated clear benefits in the form of reduced wildfire risk and improved landscape health.  

“For thousands of years, tribal communities have utilized fire to keep our forests healthy,” said California Natural Resources Agency Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “Now we’re following their lead to use safe, controlled fire to protect our communities and restore heath to our environment. This is a watershed moment for California as we fully embrace these practices successfully used for centuries to help prevent catastrophic wildfire.”

Beneficial fire encompasses cultural fire practices to protect public safety and safeguard natural and cultural resources. Prescribed fire describes intentional and managed burning by qualified professionals ranging from CAL FIRE personnel to certified experts. Managed fire refers to managing unintentional ignitions for benefits such as biodiversity, forest resilience and community protection.  

Expanding the use of beneficial fire reduces risks of large, catastrophic wildfires and restores California’s fire-adapted and fire-dependent ecosystems. Studies have documented that active use of beneficial fire reduces the intensity of future wildfires, which in turn reduces fire suppression costs while increasing protection for communities. Beneficial fire preserves and restores biodiversity, maintains healthy hydrologic systems that provide water supplies, and protects tree and plant life that store carbon pollution.  

Recognizing these benefits, the Governor’s Wildfire and Forest Resilience Task Force issued California’s Strategic Plan for Expanding the Use of Beneficial Fire in 2022 that set an ambitious state and federal goal to treat up to 400,000 acres with beneficial fire annually by 2025. More recently, California’s Nature-Based Solutions Climate Targets issued in April 2024 set a target 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. 

“Cultural and prescribed burns offer proven strategies for managing wildfire risks across our state’s unique ecosystems,” said Secretary for Environmental Protection Yana Garcia. “As Trump’s EPA abandons its responsibility to protect public health, California will intensify its fight to protect communities from the devastating effects of climate change. This includes upholding time-honored practices that have safeguarded our people and natural resources for generations.”

Fighting fire with fire 

The Governor’s executive order helps strengthen and build on California’s wildfire prevention strategy by:

• Accelerating funding and projects: Distributes funding to resource conservation districts and other eligible government agencies in advance of beneficial fire work, as well as creates more simplified grant funding processes. 
• Expanding local participation: Removes policies and regulatory roadblocks that would make it more difficult for local agencies to engage in this work, including suspending the state law that prohibits resource conservation districts and volunteer fire departments from participating in the Prescribed Fire Liability Claims Fund Pilot Program. 
• Working with tribal communities: Directs state agencies to continue prioritizing tribal consultation, access, collaboration, and co-management—so we can work together to expand and support cultural burning and other forms of tribal stewardship.
• Increasing education and data: Directs CARB to create new modeling and related technologies, such as the Prescribed Fire Information Reporting System (PFIRS), and make this technology available to support air districts’ efforts to promote fast, efficient and low-cost permitting, and expands training opportunities for beneficial fire practitioners. 
• Mitigating air quality risks: Increases collaboration and creates new best practices that provide beneficial fire practitioners consistent permitting and smoke management plan guidance while protecting public health and communicating potential smoke impacts to the public, and create guidance for local communities.