California Governor's Task Force Outlines Actions to Reduce Wildfire Risk, Improve Health of Forests and Wildland - Comprehensive Strategy Aligns with $1 Billion Investment Proposed in Governor's Budget
Sierra Sun Times
Following the most destructive wildfire season in California’s recorded history, the Governor’s Forest Management Task Force on Friday issued a comprehensive action plan to reduce wildfire risk for vulnerable communities, improve the health of forests and wildlands and accelerate action to combat climate change.
The Wildfire and Forest Resilience Action Plan (PDF download) sets a broadly supported strategy to increase the pace and scale of forest and wildland management to meet the state’s target of completing projects on 500,000 acres annually by 2025 and expanding the use of prescribed fire, particularly on state-owned lands. The plan calls for achieving these goals largely through regional strategies tailored to the environmental conditions, risks and priorities in each area.
Randy Moore, Regional Forester, Pacific Southwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service: “On behalf of the U.S. Forest Service and the Pacific Southwest Region, I commend the collaboration and work of the Forest Management Task Force during the past two years. This work is a testament to our collective commitment to shared stewardship in California. We have made progress on all lands, but much work remains to be done. This action plan provides a framework for community fire protection and forest resilience. With all of our partners, the Forest Service is committed to implement the plan, which will benefit people and economies in rural and urban communities while also addressing the effects of climate change.”