The Role of Good Fire in Washington’s Forests — The Nature Conservancy in Washington

Local, state, federal, Tribal and private agencies recognize that we all must work together to prepare for a future with a greater threat of fire. Fire doesn’t follow property lines, but moves across the landscape according to terrain conditions, winds and weather. We must work across agencies, across the lines of public and private property, to meet this challenge. At The Nature Conservancy, this work takes many forms—conducting prescribed burns on TNC preserves, working with partners and community members to conduct prescribed burns on their lands, and supporting workforce development to increase the scale at which prescribed burns are being carried out in Washington.  

“Washington’s forests and fire-prone landscapes require urgent restoration, and a significant part of that entails using prescribed burns,” notes Sami Schinnell, TNC Cooperative Fire Director. “By conducting prescribed burns on TNC lands, supporting partner and community-led burns, and providing training opportunities for fire practitioners across Washington, TNC aims to increase the use of prescribed burns as a tool for improving ecosystem health and ensuring communities are more resilient to the impacts of fire.”