Management
Just as fire is an integral part of the forest, fire management is an integral part of forest management.
Fire management is the process of planning, preventing and fighting fires to protect people, property and the forest resource. The Forest Service has managed wildland fire for more than 100 years. But how we do it - why, when, and where we do it - has changed.
For decades, we fought fire. First with hand tools and strong backs, then with aircraft and engines, we engaged fire in the wildlands and put it out. We became good at it, among the best in the world.
But science has changed the way we think about wildland fire and the way we manage it. We still fight it, especially to protect communities and the resources people need—but we also use it to make forests and grasslands healthier and to protect communities and natural resources, especially clean, abundant water.
We still use hand tools and strong backs, aircraft and engines. And we are still the best wildland fire organization in the world. But we recognize the role of natural fire in the health of many ecosystems, and we continue to move forward through research and technology to understand and manage fire better, so when we need to put it out, we can. And when we need to use it, we can do that too—more safely, more effectively than 100 years ago, but not as well as we will 100 years from now.
Fire Topics
Seasonal employees have a very special place within the Forest Service. Most Forest Service career employees started out in seasonal positions, working with recreation, wildland fire, timber, wildlife, fisheries, botany, archeology and many more. Seeking a temporary or seasonal job with the Forest Service is a great way to gain experience with the agency. The Eldorado National Forest fills a variety of seasonal jobs annually. Seasonal positions are from May through November. This can vary by position and if the seasonal employee is attending college. All positions are hired through the USAJobs system.
Decades of fire suppression have often produced overcrowded vegetation in our forest, weakening trees and rendering them more susceptible to pests, diseases, and displacement by invasive species. To protect the homes and improve the health of the forest, we must reduce the fuels.
Wildfires occurred every seven to 25 years in Sierra Nevada forests prior to the early 1900s. Around 1915 National Forest management policy viewed wildfires as destructive and began putting them all out as quickly as possible. Today we realize the important role fire plays in maintaining healthy National Forests. The USDA Forest Service uses prescribe burning as its way to put fire back into the ecosystem.
Now more than ever, our favorite outdoor spaces are playing an important role in our lives. Together, we can continue to keep these places safe. Whether we’re out in nature or home in our backyards, remember that it’s our role to protect the lands we love.
All individual projects designed to reduce fuel hazards that are proposed by public agencies; funded by public agencies; or that require Federal, state, local, or local discretionary approval; are subject to Federal, state, or regional environmental regulations. These regulations shape the scope, location, methodologies, timing, and cost of proposed fuel reduction treatments