A wildfire, by definition, is a fire that is uncontrolled. People often view wildfire as a catastrophic event, burning at the wrong time and wrong place. In contrast, prescribed fire is a controlled application of fire to a specific area with the intent to accomplish management goals. A prescribed fire has a predetermined boundary and is applied under specific weather elements, enabling land managers to control fire location, growth, and intensity.

It’s true that fire has important ecological benefits to our forests and grasslands. In recent years, however, wildfires have been very destructive because many forests have become dense and overgrown with underbrush. A century of aggressive fire suppression tactics has resulted in higher fuels accumulation in the forests, along with unforeseen changes to ecosystem dynamics and species composition. These well-intentioned management tactics have backfired and actually added to the severity of some of the largest, most intense wildfires yet.

Prescribed fire is one way to reduce fuel loading and allow fire to play its natural role in the ecosystem. The forests around Weaverville were shaped by frequent fires of low to moderate intensity, many of which were started by Native Americans to burn understory vegetation. The type of forest we have here, called Klamath Mixed Conifer, is considered to be the most diverse coniferous forest in North America, due in part to frequent burnings that occurred in the past.

The use of prescribed fire can reduce the threat of wildfire and promote important ecological forest functions. Some of the benefits of prescribed fire include:

• Reduced fire risk by reducing fuels build-up
• Thinning overcrowded forests results in healthier trees
• Improved seed germination and sprouting
• It helps prepare soil for new growth
• Creates habitat diversity for wildlife
• Controls disease and insects
• Controls invasive plants and competing vegetation
• Stimulates growth of fire adapted plant species
• Improves growth and gathering areas of cultural-use plants
• Restores threatened oak woodlands and meadows
• Improves important forage and habitat for wildlife

The Forestry Institute for Teachers (FIT), a series of free summer workshops for K-12 teachers on forest ecology and natural resource management issues, still has openings for 2008 sessions. The program brings together natural resource specialists and teachers for one-week “institutes” at four locations in northern California to provide a deeper understanding of the intricate interrelationship of forest ecosystems and human use of natural resources.

The FIT program is closely linked to California Department of Education’s subject area standards, its frameworks for Science and Social Science, and its goals for Environmental Education. Presenters and staff include natural resource managers, environmentalists, and science and environmental education curriculum specialists.

For more information or an application visit the Forestry Institute website, call 800-738-8733, or email.