Case 2: Prescribed burning to reduce wildfire risks in the wildland-urban interface/intermix.
While the potential benefits of using prescribed burns to improve the health of natural ecosystems and reduce wildfire risks is generally understood, implementation continues to be a major challenge . Among (the many) barriers to increased application of prescribed burns in California include air quality concerns (and friction with regulations and practices meant to combat air quality problems), fragmented jurisdictional responsibilities, and resource constraints. Your memo, targeted to a client of your choosing, should provide a recommendation as to what action(s) your client should take to address ongoing wildfire risks–i.e., what should your client do to increase the use of prescribed burning OR what alternative risk mitigation strategies should your client pursue instead? Please refer to the policy memo page for an overview of memo requirements, formatting information, and helpful resources.
Motivating Questions
- How should your client navigate the multiple jurisdictions (both geographically and functionally) involved in wildfire risk management?
- How do policy process/governance theories inform how your client should respond to the political challenges of prescribed burns?
- How might the expansion prescribed burns or prevention of prescribed burns impact other wildfire policy decisions in your focal area?
- How do networks, beliefs, and interests inform wildfire management in your focal area?
Resources:
Miller, R.K., Field, C.B. & Mach, K.J. Barriers and enablers for prescribed burns for wildfire management in California. Nat Sustain 3, 101–109 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-019-0451-7
https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/prescribed-burning
https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/prescribed-burn-associations-are-one-answer-california-s-megafires
http://www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov/prescribed-fire
Possible Clients:
- Governor Gavin Newsom
- CalFire Chief Thom Porter
- US Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen
- County Executive, Mayor, or City/County Councilpersons for a specific local area
- Other
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