The solution to California’s wildfires, as many fire experts argue, lies in a simple, time-tested practice: prescribed burns.
California finds itself in an all-too-familiar inferno, with devastating fires in Los Angeles County crying out for reevaluation of fuel and forest management policies as well as other fire mitigation measures. While modern firefighting techniques have improved significantly, they cannot counteract the years of accumulated fuel, overly dense forests, and dense urban development near areas with heavy fuel loads that combine to make wildfires more catastrophic. The solution, as many fire experts argue, lies in a simple, time-tested practice: prescribed burns.
But in California, the gap between theory and practice remains vast, owing to political, regulatory, legal, and public relations challenges.
Recent Fires and the Rising Threat
Despite decades of warnings, Los Angeles County experiences devastating wildfires with regular frequency. 2025’s wind-driven fires exposes vulnerabilities in the region’s preparedness and response systems. These fires demonstrate how dense vegetation, combined with California’s Mediterranean climate and high winds, creates the perfect storm for wildfire outbreaks. While firefighters deserve credit for their valiant efforts, the scale of these blazes often outstrips suppression capacity.
Prescribed burns, or controlled fires, offer a proactive approach to reducing wildfire risks by methodically eliminating excess vegetation, or “fuel,” under carefully monitored conditions. Yet, despite their proven efficacy, prescribed burns remain woefully underused in Los Angeles County and much of California. […]
— Read More: thefederalist.com
