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California Forest News Video Series
A video series exploring National Forests in California
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Episodes 33-38 Confronting the Wildfire Crisis
The Forest Service, together with tribes and partners, developed a Wildfire Crisis Strategy to focus on strategic fuels and forest health treatments at the scale of the problem, using the best available knowledge and science as the guide.
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Episode 32 California’s Trail of Tears: Nome Cult Walk
In this video we talk to descendants from those who were marched in 1863 and participants of the 28th annual commemorative Nome Cult Walk. They talk about their experience and reflections while on the 100-mile walk, what it means for healing, forgiveness and reconnecting with family and heritage.
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Episode 31 Cone Camp: I Feel the Need, the Need for Seed
Videocast from one of the four Cone Camps held in 2023. The camps are built around a day in the classroom and a day in the field. Participants network and learn from industry experts from American Forests (americanforests.org), USDA Forest Service, CAL FIRE (fire.ca.gov), and the California Cone Corps.
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Episode 30 Burned Area Emergency Response, Soil and Water
After large wildfires on national forests a Burned Area Response Team assembles to assess damage and potential adverse effects from future rains. We talked with Tom Giambra a soil scientist, and Eric Merten a fish biologist assigned to the Smith River Complex Fire in Northern California, Southern Oregon, about the effects of extreme wildfires and information scientists can provide to help.
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Episode 29 Flame Front Simulator
The flame front simulator allows us to create and simulate a wildfire, to adjust the intensity and change the behavior of how that fire acts. Essentially the system acts like a smart barbecue grill,” said Sam Wu, a project manager at the National Technology and Development Center in San Dimas, California. In this video Wu walks us through how the simulator works and the role the National Technology and Development Center plays in firefighter safety.
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Episode 28 An Aerial Eye on the Forest
Gathering a deep understanding of the Forest, from the roots to the tree tops, was once only possible after months of walking the landscape. But soon Forest Service employees could be using their thumbs and a mechanical friend to help get the job done in days. Chris Brenzel a UAS specialist with the USDA Forest Service explains.
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Episode 27 Peakbagger Series: Hiking Mokelumne Peak
Join three day-hikers as they hike over 22 miles for 17 hours on snowshoes to try and bag 9,334-foot Mokelumne Peak on the Eldorado National Forest in May 2023.
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Episode 26 Implementing Strategic Roadside Fuelbreaks
See how Tahoe National Forest is implementing strategic roadside fuelbreaks along 200 miles of National Forest System roads. The project aims to protect nearby communities and infrastructure by reducing the threat of wildfire through fuels management.
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Episode 25 Tragedy on the Water: Rachel’s Story
On June 28, 2017, Rachel Terrazas and some of her friends took to the waters of the Stanislaus River for an afternoon of fun. The day ended in tragedy when Rachel lost her life in a terrible accident. Rachel’s mother, Diana talks about the day and the need to practice water safety at all times.
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Episode 24 Backbone Ridge Prescribed Fire
Prescribed fire, the intentional and scientific use of fire on the landscape, reduces risk to communities that dot the wildland landscape. But there are other inhabitants the Forest Service considers when preparing for a prescribed fire — the wildlife that call those very same wildlands home, that rely on forests for food and shelter.
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Episode 23 French Fire: Defending a mountaintop town
This video explores how fuel treatments can assist firefighters in defending communities. During the 2021 French Fire, fuel treatments conducted by Kern County and the Sequoia National Forest were essential to saving the mountain-top town of Alta Sierra, California.
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Episode 22 Butte Valley National Grassland
California’s Butte Valley National Grassland offers a gentler variety of beauty and a patient invitation to slow down and to take in all that awaits in the subtleties.
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Episode 21 A Civil Engineer’s Story
Meet Kevin Hernandez a civil engineer on the Angeles National Forest. He walked us through what it's like during a day on the job and the variety of fulfilling engineering work available in forests across California.
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Episode 20 Los Padres National Forest: Storm Damage and Recovery
Even as more storms and flooding are on the way, the USDA Forest Service has started the long process of rebuilding on the Los Padres National Forest. Please listen to local authorities and make safety your number one priority. We talked with Forest Service transportation engineer Zach Binversie about the cause and extent of the damage, and how it's being assessed.
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Episode 19 Safety, Protection, Mitigation: Partnering to Build Fire Safe Communities
The San Bernardino National Forest and the Mountain Rim Fire Safe Council discuss efforts to reduce wildfire risk to communities and how working together, strategically, has proven successful in the past.
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Episode 18 How It Works: Pile Burning
Tod Devine, a Forest Service fire engine operator and burn boss on the Shasta Lake Ranger District breaks down the ins and outs of a typical pile burn to remove hazardous fuels.
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Episode 17 Restoring areas affected by the Camp Fire
Ryan Davy, a Silviculturist from the Plumas National Forest discusses the work required to ensure resilient forests return after wildfire. With our partners we are restoring areas affected by the Camp Fire.
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Episode 16 Research: Timing of Fire Study
Wildland firefighters from the Stanislaus National Forest and researchers from the Forest Service’s Pacific Southwest research station conducted a 21-acre prescribed burn on the Tuolumne Experimental Forest. The prescribed burn is a part of a Timing of Fire Study allowing researchers to compare how seasonal conditions affect the outcomes of prescribed fire.
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Episode 15 Hazard Tree Removal at the Tahoe National Forest
The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed last year allots $5.5 billion to tackle maintenance and infrastructure needs in national forests across the country. The funding is being used to restore trails, roads and bridges and also campgrounds like the Chapman Campground on the Tahoe National Forest.
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Episode 14 Wildfire Behavior Components
Wildfire behavior analysts understand fire on a personal and scientific level. They seek to understand its behavior and predict it, to inform firefighters on the ground and in the sky. In this episode of California Forest News we speak with a fire behavior analyst who outlines the three main factors that influence wildfire behavior– topography, fuels and weather and how certain levels of those three elements can result in extreme wildfire behavior.
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Episode 13 Direct Download: Fighting Fires with Drone Intelligence
Drones are playing an increasingly important role in fighting wildfires by providing precise and timely information to U.S. Forest Service firefighters and incident management teams.
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Episode 12 Understanding National Forest Fire Restrictions
Video explains why fire restrictions go into effect and what the difference is between Stage 1 & Stage 2 restrictions. Also general fire safety on national forest lands and recreating responsibly.
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Episode 11 How We Fight Wildfires: Preparing for Wildfires
Wildfires continue to pose a significant threat in California. Brian Rhodes, who helps manage the Forest Service response, emphasizes that communities and homeowners need to be prepared.
Suggested resources:
Wildfire Risk to Communities
Ready for Wildfire -
Episode 10 How We Fight Wildfires - Direct vs Indirect Attack
This episode of California Forest News explains how wildland firefighters consider many factors when deciding how to suppress a fire, using two major tactics: direct and indirect attack.
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Episode 9 How We Fight Wildfires - Incident Management Teams
This episode of California Forest News explains how Incident Management Teams are deployed on large wildfires. Based on personal experience with these interagency teams, Brian Rhodes highlights the importance of cooperation of among multiple partners here in California. As Brian says, it is truly "one team, one fight."
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Episode 8 Smith River Hotshots
In this episode of California Forest News, we look at another Federal Interagency Hotshot Crew. Based out of the Six Rivers National Forest, meet the Smith River Hotshots and look back at their 2021 wildfire season.
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Episode 7 Hotshots (Part 2)
In this episode, the second of a two-part series, we continue our conversation with the Eldorado Hotshots. Learn how a longer, more intense wildfire season can impact wildland firefighters as they protect communities and natural resources from high-intensity wildfire.
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Episode 6 Hotshots (Part 1)
In this episode, the first of a two-part series, we catch up with the Eldorado Hotshots to learn what a Hotshot crew is and how they protect communities and natural resources from high-intensity wildfire.
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Episode 5 Prescribed Fire
Learn about the different types of prescribed fire as well as the methodical process the U.S. Forest Service and our partners utilize to reintroduce beneficial, low-intensity fire to California forests.
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Episode 4 Low Intensity Fire
We explain the importance of routine, low intensity fire within California’s fire adapted ecosystems. We also explain the consequences of removing, low intensity fire from these same ecosystems and landscapes including the buildup of hazardous fuels.
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Episode 3 Expert Opinion: Fuel Treatment Areas
This episode features two experts from behind the scenes of the Caldor Fire: The Forest Supervisors of the Eldorado National Forest and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Hear their opinion on the importance of Fuel Treatment Areas.
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Episode 2 Fuel Treatment Areas
We examine how fuel treatment areas on National Forest System lands changed the intensity of the Caldor Fire and provided opportunities for community defense.
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Episode 1 California Fire Intensity
We examine the combination of factors that exacerbate wildfire intensity and behavior including fuel, wind, terrain, and drought.