Community concerns with prescribed fire

Although prescribed fire in grasslands can bring about many benefits, burning also raises public concerns. One of the most common fears is that prescribed burns could escape control and become wildfires. For example, the 2022 Hermit’s Peak Fire was a prescribed fire that escalated into a wildfire, burning over 300,000 acres and 1,000 structures (Wood et al., 2023). These occurrences are rare; the Forest Service ignites 4,500 prescribed fires annually, with only 0.16% escaping, and less than 1% of prescribed fires escape on private lands (Wood et al., 2023). Similarly, a 2025 Fire Ecology study analyzed 4,679 prescribed fires from 1991–2020 in California and found only 310 escape events (about 10 per year), indicating a low escape rate (Li et al., 2025). Since prescribed fires are implemented under controlled conditions (e.g., cooler temperature, greater soil moisture, light winds), the risk of danger is much lower than what is perceived. Thus, while safety should always be a top priority, preventing the use of prescribed fire due to such concerns can likely be more harmful than proceeding with caution.

Another major concern with prescribed fire is the impact on air quality and release of carbon dioxide. Although prescribed fire emits smoke that can be a health concern, a 2021 joint report by the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Forest Service, and US Department of Interior, found that smoke from prescribed fire to public health risks is at a much smaller scale compared to wildfires (Jones et al., 2022). The tradeoff for smoke today is less smoke tomorrow. Additionally, wildfires are much more likely to emit harmful air pollutants. From the 2020 wildfires in California alone, 112 million tons of carbon dioxide were released to the atmosphere –the equivalent of adding 25 million cars to the state’s roads (Wood et al., 2023). By strategically reducing dry biomass and fine fuels, grassland prescribed fires help prevent larger, more destructive wildfires and their associated emissions.

This report discusses how Santa Cruz County needs to get “beneficial fire” on the ground:
Reducing Community Risks from Wildfire (Author: Santa Cruz Civil Grand Jury)

Community involvement in conducting prescribed burns along the Central Coast

Community outreach plays a critical role in building public trust and support for prescribed burns along the Central California Coast. Agencies like CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service work with groups such as the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association (CCPBA) to involve the public through training, outreach, and collaborative burns. A key example is the Central Coast TREX (Training Exchange) held in 2023. This multi-day program brought together burn bosses, tribal representatives, landowners, fire practitioners, agency staff, researchers, and volunteers to conduct burns on private and non-federal lands in Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito Counties. These events strengthen community trust while offering hands-on experience in safe burning practices. Local Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) also play a major role in public outreach, education, and planning for prescribed burns. Additionally, all counties in the region have Fire Safe Councils that engage communities in fire prevention strategies, such as home hardening, defensible space, and pile burning.

Relevant Links:

• Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association
• San Mateo Resource Conservation District
• Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County
• Resource Conservation District of Monterey County
• Fire Safe Council – San Mateo County
• Fire Safe Council – Santa Cruz County
• Fire Safe Council – Monterey County

Staying informed on prescribed burns along the Central Coast

Local residents can check prescribed fire status and voice concerns through CAL FIRE unit Facebook pages, local air districts like MBARD and BAAQMD, county resource conservation districts, or regional burn associations such as the Central Coast Prescribed Burn Association.

Relevant Links:

• CAL FIRE CZU Facebook
• CAL FIRE BEU Facebook
• California State Parks Santa Cruz District – Prescribed Fire Information
• Monterey Bay Air Resources District – Active Prescribed Burns
• Santa Cruz County Office of Response, Recovery, and Resilience (OR3)

Residents can file smoke complaints online or by phone. To file a smoke complaint during a prescribed fire, contact:

• Bay Area Air District (includes San Mateo County)
• Monterey Bay Air Resources District

Prescribed fire is an important tool for managing grassland ecosystems, but its success depends not only on ecological outcomes, but also on public understanding and trust. Through transparent communication, community involvement, and collaboration with local agencies, Central Coast residents can play an active role in making prescribed fire safer, more accepted, and more effective. Proactive outreach and education efforts help ensure that beneficial fire continues to support both ecological resilience and community safety.