July 11, 2020 - Fire is a natural part of California’s ecosystem. If used properly, fire can improve the health and resiliency of both forests and rangelands, control weeds, increase species diversity, promote native species, and reduce the smoke and damage 
of catastrophic wildfires. Prescribed fire is increasingly becoming one of the tools used to meet these land management goals. The challenge can be, how can private landowners conduct prescribed burns on their own lands safely? One way of effectively doing this is by organizing a collaboration of neighbors and community members into a Prescribed Burn Association (PBA).
A PBA is a group of landowners and other concerned citizens that form a ‘partnership’ to conduct prescribed burns. PBA members pool their knowledge, skill, manpower and equipment to help each other conduct prescribed burns.
Join UCCE and the Southern Sierra Prescribed Fire Council for an informational meeting on developing local Prescribed Burn Association(s) in our area. This Zoom meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 22 from 1:00 P.M. - 2:30 P.M. and is open to interested individuals and agencies in Mariposa, Merced, Madera, Fresno, and Tuolumne counties. The meeting will begin with background material on PBA(s) and how they have been utilized by communities now and in the past. UCCE’s goal for this meeting is to facilitate an open discussion about the formation of PBA(s) in the Southern Sierra region, with the participants deciding what communities (regions/counties) make sense to create individual PBAs.
Please register at http://cemariposa.ucanr.edu or (209) 966-2417.
Source: UC Cooperative Extension, Mariposa
