In his opening remarks, McGuire said that the state’s efforts to combat wildfires have made great strides, but noted that they will be put through their paces in the coming months as this year “is anticipated to be the worst El Niño in 140 years,” potentially resulting in thunderstorms and other dramatic and unpredictable weather conditions that might exacerbate wildfire risk.
‘The good news’
“… We’ve expanded vegetation management programs. We’re accelerating fire breaks, dead and dying tree removal. In fact, just last year, we expedited the timeline for fire breaks to be approved all across the state. We have fast-tracked over 300 wildfire prevention projects across the state of California.
“We’re increasing the use of prescribed burns. Over the last few years, the state of California has treated more than 545,000 acres across California with vegetation management (and) wildfire fuel reduction projects, all to be able to reduce wildfire risk, especially around communities and neighborhoods. And the other really important part of this is that we’re expanding the use of prescribed burns. Is there more that we could do? Absolutely, but we’re now conducting about 125,000 acres of prescribed burns every year, and that is going to continue to increase.”
“Over the past decade, we’ve doubled the number of Cal Fire firefighters,” McGuire said. “And we’re not stopping there. Another 2,100 firefighters will be hired to state service over the next two years, bringing our total well over 13,000 in (the) Cal Fire ranks. And just last year, we championed the effort in a historic investment to transition 3,000 seasonal fire tires into full-time, year-round positions.”
McGuire and fellow participants noted upgrades to the state’s fleet of firefighting aircraft as well as investments in modernizing truck fleets in Northern California.
Defensible space
Cal Fire Northern Region Fire Chief George Morris spoke about defensible space and upcoming statewide regulatory changes that might require more stringent restrictions on defensible space in the five-foot corridor around a home.
Several community members asked questions about those potential changes, particularly whether they would be necessary in urban areas like Santa Rosa and whether they would necessitate tearing up trees and other ornamental landscaping near homes. Morris said that there has been a lot of speculation about future requirements for defensible space, but those remain undecided.
“( Defensible Space) Zone 0 is basically that first five feet around your home,” Morris said. “It’s designed to have you remove combustible material from that zone, and what is unclear right now is — they’re promulgating the regulations through the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection — just what that looks like.
“… In general, the idea is to remove things that can burn. … If you have junipers or volatile vegetation right next to your structure, that’s something that’s probably going to have to be removed in that in that process, and I’m speculating because it hasn’t been fully vetted, but for me, for the level of protection that I want on my home, I’m removing anything that isn’t well watered, anything that can combust, construction materials, anything that you leave around your home. … There’s a lot of conjecture about whether that’s going to be required hardscaping or gravel on some of the questions asked that, but it remains to be seen.”
A California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Zone 0 Committee public workshop is April 23 in Calabasas. Information on the workshop, including links to register as an online participant, can be found at https://tinyurl.com/mtksteve.
Cuts to the U.S. Forest Service
McGuire noted that one of the major concerns facing the state is federal disinvestment in the U.S. Forest Service. He pointed to both DOGE-related cuts last year and the potential fallout from H.R. 1, also called the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which might entail a roughly 60% cut to the U.S. Forest Service’s budget.
“The U.S. Forest Service is looking at a potential cut … of 60% of their total budget,” McGuire said. “… We also know that the federal government is looking at closing 57 (out of 77) of their research facilities focusing on climate change and wildfire risk reduction. 7,000 US Forest Service employees have either left, taken early retirements or have been fired in 1,000s. More positions are on the chopping block this year if the Trump administration’s budget is approved.
“I’m not trying to be political. It’s just the facts, and that is a deep concern, because … about 54%-55% of all forest land in the state of California is under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Just 3% of all forest land in the Golden State is under state jurisdiction. That is why it is such a concern to the Golden State. That said, we are going to get you prepared.”
A variety of other local, regional and statewide topics were discussed by the town hall’s participants, which included Santa Rosa Fire Chief Scott Westrope and Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta. The entirety of the town hall meeting can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/2daca34a.
© 2026 Times-Standard, Eureka, Calif. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
