Prescribed burning involves applying a carefully planned fire to a predetermined section of land. This is a highly specialized agricultural practice that requires both intensive training and the support of special personnel and equipment. A series of factors must be properly considered before implementing a burn, including weather conditions—humidity, wind, temperature—and fuel conditions related to the vegetation being burned. Appropriate safety procedures must be planned out before a burn and continuously monitored during the process. Consideration should be given to the air quality impacts and their effects on people and communities downwind of a fire, which can be addressed with help from the state's smoke management programs and tools.
A prescribed burn can serve a number of purposes. It can help manage populations of undesirable kinds of vegetation and reduce pressure on preferred plants from pests and diseases. It can promote overall safety for property by reducing the risks of unmanaged wildfires. Burns can also support wildlife and livestock by improving their habitats and the livestock-forage balance through boosted plant productivity. And they can strengthen soil health by improving habitats for soil organisms.
Learn more about the requirements for applying prescribed burns on the CA Field Office Technical Guide website.
The following sections highlight some of the most applicable and effective methods for the Sacramento region and provide access to additional sources to learn more.
