Reducing fuels on steep slopes
How partnerships and technology advancements are moving critical forest restoration work forward
Tahoe National Forest’s North Yuba watershed is a highly productive water source for downstream residents and the agricultural industry across northern California. Although it is the largest continuous unburned landscape in the Central Sierras, it is also one of the most difficult forests to keep safe. This remote and rugged location has some of the most challenging terrain in California for fighting fire. The steep slopes are also why it is difficult to reduce fuels in the area, with an almost...-
Reducing fuels on steep slopes
March 24,2026
Tahoe National Forest’s North Yuba watershed is a highly productive water source for downstream residents and the agricultural industry across northern California. Although it is the largest -
The fire that never starts
March 9,2026
When 95% of wildfires are started by humans — especially in a part of the country like Southern California with 25 million people — stopping wildfires before they start is a lofty goal. But for Nicole -
Editor’s note: Across the West, land managers are working together to accomplish what they cannot do alone — to restore massive areas affected by past wildfire while also strategically planning how to -
Where Olympians are made
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For Olympic medalist Shannon Dunn-Downing, the road to the podium didn’t begin in a private club or elite training facility. It began on public lands in the mountains of Colorado. Public lands -
Forest power: woodchips to electricity
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Mackenzie Castruita the Business Manager for West Biofuels explains some of the innerworkings at the Hat Creek Bioenergy facility in Burney, California and how public lands and partners are coming -
Breaking ground on hope
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Walking amongst well-ordered rows of bicycles and racks of “Rebuild the Ride” t-shirts swaying lightly on their hangers, Adventure Damascus Bicycles owner Michael Wright takes a moment to make sure -
What’s on their skin?
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At the end of a long shift, black stains cover yellow Nomex shirts, telling the story of grueling hours spent on the fireline. Across the West each summer, wildland firefighters collapse into sleeping -
More than a Christmas Tree
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An ambassador from Nevada graces the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol this holiday season – Silver Belle, a perfectly-shaped 53-foot red fir from the Carson Range of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest -
Twelve days of forest Christmas
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Let’s celebrate the holiday season with a forest-themed version of that Christmas classic, the 12 Days of Christmas. Here are the lyrics so you can sing along! On the 12th day of Christmas, the forest
