only its own personnel to conduct
prescribed burns, and having more
certified burn bosses will help the
state reach its statewide prescribed
burn goals, according to the legisla-
tion. The law requires that this cur-
riculum be developed by 2021.
Cal Fire claims to have the most
firefighter boots on the ground of any
state in the country and the largest
aviation fleet to combat wildfire in
the world. The agency is replacing its
aging helicopters with Black Hawks,
worth a total of $300 million, that
have been converted to carry crews
and water and perform fire rescues.
But as it continues to add personnel
and state-of-the-art equipment, it
also is investing in the proactive for-
est management strategies that can
help prevent inevitable fires from
turning into massive destruction.
Cal Fire’s Eng, who has more than
25 years of forestry experience, says
despite the challenges, he’s encour-
aged that various stakeholders are
finding common ground. In doing
so, they’re gleaning lessons from the
past when Native Americans utilized
fire as a tool and nature was allowed
to run its course, a time when the for-
ests were healthier.
“California is always 10 years
ahead of everybody else, and I think
we are actually truly blazing a trail
here for what other states will fol-
low,” Eng says.“We’re forced to con-
front this crisis in our forests, [and]
we’re making progress. I’m hopeful.
I’m optimistic. In five years, we’ll
see a difference in our forests, and I
think it will be for the better.” n
Sena Christian is a managing editor
for Comstock’s. On Twitter @SenaC-
Christian or senachristian.com.
Engineer Brandon Yurek, of Cal Fire, moves wood debris into a pile in prepara-
tion for a controlled burn at Reader Ranch in Nevada County in May.
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