Barriers To And Solutions For Fuel Treatments In The Central California Coast Ranges

In recent years, the Western United States has experienced an increase in fire activity due to multiple factors, including anthropogenic climate change, historical forest management focused on suppression, and the expanding wildland urban interface (WUI). In response, California is working to accelerate the pace and scale of forest management and fire hazard reduction efforts. Although fuel treatment projects are being implemented, they often encounter various barriers. While existing literature highlights these barriers, it tends to overlook the solutions being applied in practice to overcome them. Using an ethnographic approach that includes key informant interviews and participant observation in four sites within California’s Coast Ranges, we identify both the barriers and the solutions being used ‘on the ground.’ Our findings reveal that many of the previously identified barriers elsewhere also exist in the Central California Coast Ranges. Trust emerges as a critical factor for the successful implementation of fuel treatments, yet it is not just about recognizing its importance. Our research builds on existing literature by documenting specific strategies used to overcome these barriers, showing not only that relationships and trust are valuable, but also how they can be actively developed. By addressing the interconnected variables underlying fuel treatment barriers through the intentional development of personal and professional relationships, practitioners can more effectively implement fuel treatment projects in California.