Prescription for Resiliency: CA State Parks continues to expand use of beneficial fire

By California State Parks, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Divisions of Boating and Waterways, Historic Preservation and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation

SACRAMENTO — On the heels of Governor Gavin Newsom’s latest executive order aimed at expanding the use of beneficial fire, California State Parks recently wrapped up prescribed burn operations at several parks statewide, continuing a significant expansion thanks to strategic investments under the Newsom administration’s wildfire packages.

With the help of historic investments under the Newsom administration, California State Parks has significantly expanded its use of prescribed fire to improve wildfire resiliency, reduce fuels and restore fire-adapted ecosystems at parks all over the state – a trend that will continue following a recent executive order.

Among the recent operations was a unique training at Salt Point State Park and Kruse Rhododendron State Natural Reserve in Sonoma County, allowing park experts to showcase how prescribed burns are an important tool in the department’s ongoing efforts to reduce wildfire risk, improve the health of the local ecosystems by supporting native plants and wildlife, protect nearby communities and promote the long-term resilience of California’s public lands.

“Prescribed fires are not just a land management strategy but a time-tested tool to help increase biodiversity and reduce the risk of larger, more destructive wildfires,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “Thanks to Governor Newsom’s leadership and the help of our partners, we are expanding this essential work to make our state’s majestic landscapes healthier for generations to come.”

The burn at Salt Point State Park on Oct. 31 was conducted as part of State Parks’ Prescribed Fire Training Exchange, known as TREXs. Led by an experienced team including Statewide Burn Boss Sarah Gibson, the training helps facilitate information sharing and relationship building for personnel who work with fire. These exchanges provide certified fire practitioners with the opportunity to hone their skills and work toward or achieve more advanced qualifications with the support of fellow fire management professionals, some of whom came as far away as Canada to participate. View photos and a video from the training and burn here.

Governor Newsom has signed two executive orders to streamline the use of prescribed fire in California, including one on Oct. 29 aimed at expanding use of beneficial fire as a wildfire prevention strategy, which highlighted the benefits of training exchanges. These directives are helping State Parks increase the pace and scale of its burns by supplementing funding for this essential work, streamlining the permitting process and opening the door for more partners, including volunteer fire departments and Indigenous practitioners, to be part of the burns.

State Parks has a more than 50-year legacy of using prescribed fire to steward California’s public lands. Even during periods when prescribed burns fell out of favor, the department maintained the use of this critical tool, guided by science and early leaders such as UC Berkeley professor Harold Biswell, a pioneer in modern fire management. Today, State Parks continues that leadership, using science-backed planning to protect native plants and wildlife, preserve cultural resources and promote healthier, more resilient ecosystems.

“State Parks has been burning for 50-plus years, and we incorporate science into every prescribed burn to steward public lands,” said Burn Boss Gibson. “The incredible work our staff is doing is helping keep California’s forests and state parks healthy.”

Learn more about State Parks’ use of prescribed fire and the benefits on our website.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation, popularly known as State Parks, and the programs supported by its Office of Historic Preservation and divisions of Boating and Waterways and Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation. Learn more at parks.ca.gov.