When the Caldor Fire threatened the Lake Tahoe Basin in 2021, no structures were lost in Christmas Valley.
UC Davis research ecologist Hugh Safford said that outcome reflected several factors working together, including years of fuel treatments, fire-resistant homes, residents prepared for wildfire and firefighters ready to respond.
“The key is you have to get the surface fuels off the site,” Safford said.
Thinning trees can leave behind branches and other debris that may fuel intense fires if they aren’t managed, Safford said. He also supports prescribed burns and allowing some naturally started wildfires to burn when conditions are safe and appropriate.
“We really need to let a lot more of the wildfires burn under the right conditions,” Safford said, adding that wildfires could be the primary way to treat fuels across 70% to 80% of California’s forestland.
But recovery after a fire remains a challenge. In severely burned areas his team has surveyed, Safford said researchers have generally found minimal natural tree regeneration.
His team is collecting field data to identify where trees are returning on their own and where replanting may be needed.
Safford said reducing wildfire impacts requires preparation before a fire, an effective response when one occurs, and evidence-based restoration afterward.
