Fuels Management

Fuels management is the manipulation of vegetation to reduce hazardous fuels (accumulated dry brush and trees) to decrease the risks of catastrophic wildland fire and to restore ecosystem health. Treatments remove or modify wildland fuels to reduce the potential for severe wildland fire behavior, lessen the post-fire damage, and limit the spread of invasive species and diseases. Various types of treatment may be used and include prescribed fire, mechanical thinning, herbicides, grazing, and other methods. Fuels management is conducted today in accordance with the National Fire Plan, initiated in 2001.