Forest Fuel Treatment

Forest Fuel Treatments involve the deployment of management activities that reduce hazardous fuels accumulation and create resilient landscapes. This reduces the likelihood of catastrophic wildfire. Also commonly referred to as ‘Hazardous Fuel Reduction’, Hazardous Fuels Management seeks to achieve fuel reduction goals through mechanical treatments and/or prescribed fire treatments.

Key Ideas

  • What is a forest fuel treatment?

    Forest fuel treatments involve the deployment of management activities that reduce hazardous fuels accumulation and create resilient landscapes. This reduces the likelihood of catastrophic wildfire. Also commonly referred to as ‘Hazardous Fuel Reduction’, Hazardous Fuels Management seeks to achieve fuel reduction goals through mechanical treatments and/or prescribed fire treatments.

  • What are mechanical treatments?

    There are a wide range of mechanical treatments available such as forest thinning and mastication. In landscapes which have a very high fuel loading, a combination of treatments may be required to restore the ecosystem to a healthy balance. For example, a thinning maybe needed to reduce the density of a stand, then followed by a prescribed burn. In many cases, multiple treatments are needed to restore the ecosystem and maintain a resilient landscape. While a prescribed burning is typically preferred due to being the least costly alternative, these treatments may be an alternative.

  • What is a prescribed fire treatment?

    Prescribed fire treatments are often the best alternative for hazardous fuel treatments. Prescribed fire is often the least costly alternative, while reducing hazardous fuel accumulation and the best way to emulate natural processes. There are challenges overcome in developing a large scale prescribed fire program such as social, economic, and smoke management. These challenges create opportunities to develop strong partnerships across geopolitical boundaries and user groups.

  • Why are catastrophic wildfires related to protecting drinking water?

    High intensity, catastrophic wildfire can be particularly problematic for watersheds and the drinking water sources collected within them. High intensity wildfires can remove all vegetation, duff, and organic matter. This removes the protective layer for soil and can create erosion problems when high intensity wildfire is followed by rainstorm events. Accordingly, similar to Targeted Land Protection, this activity seeks to both preserve the integrity of healthy forests and reduce the future risk of increased sediment and nutrient transport, which differs from other activities that are aiming to reduce current annual loadings of pollutants.

  • Where are forest fuel treatments typically employed?

    Forest fuel reduction treatments are typically employed in areas where high intensity fires can occur on the landscape. There are various wildfire risk assessment processes that can be utilized to identify high priority areas for treatments.

Learn more

  1. Comprehensive Forest Fuel Toolkit

    Visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website

    Learn more
  2. National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy

    Visit Forests and Rangelands' website

    Learn more
  3. Fire Planning and Fuels Management Resource Portal

    Visit website to learn more

    Learn more