{"id":450,"date":"2021-02-19T21:19:54","date_gmt":"2021-02-19T21:19:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/?page_id=450"},"modified":"2026-07-21T16:21:25","modified_gmt":"2026-07-21T16:21:25","slug":"prescribed-fire","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu\/courtneyschultz\/prescribed-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"Prescribed Fire Policy"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Policy Opportunities to Increase Prescribed Fire<\/h2>\n

In 2021, we began organizing a joint university and non-governmental organization steering committee to identify federal policy and governance options to increase the use of prescribed fire. We focus on clarifying prescribed fire policy barriers\/opportunities, promoting dialogue among partners to refine policy options, and communicating policy options to decision makers. This work is funded by the Hewlett Foundation.<\/p>\n

Products<\/h2>\n

Online directory of prescribed fire entities in the U.S. intended to provide an easy-to-use reference of non-state and non-federal entities across the U.S. who have the capacity to support prescribed fire implementation, and through whom federal funding may be deployed. Available here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Practitioner Papers<\/h3>\n

Greiner, M., Huber-Stearns, H., Schultz, C., Shively, B., and Chen, Y. (2024). Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Capacity of Non-governmental Organizations. Summer 2024. Available here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Briefing Papers<\/h3>\n

Huber-Stearns, H., Chen, Y., Greiner, M., Schultz, C., and Shively, B. (2023). Investing in Local Prescribed Fire Capacity: Key Findings and Recommendations from a National Survey of Prescribed Fire Implementers. Summer 2023. Available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Schultz, C., Bertone-Riggs, T., Brown, S.J., Goulette, N., Greiner, M., Kruse, D., Shively, B., and Smith, M. (2022). Report on May 2022 Workshop on Outcome-Based Performance Measures, Fall 2022. Available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Schultz, C., Bertone-Riggs, T., Brown, S.J., Goulette, N., Kruse, D., Smith, M., Greiner, M. (2021). Policy Opportunities to Increase the Use of Prescribed Fire. CSU Public Lands Policy Group, Fall 2021.\u00a0Prescribed Fire Policy Brief<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator color=”black”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Barriers to Prescribed Fire Implementation<\/h2>\n

My research group investigates a variety of topics related to the governance context around fire management, including policy barriers and opportunities to increase application of prescribed fire.\u00a0<\/span>In 2016, we began work on several projects funded by the Joint Fire Science Program (see our products below and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>final JFSP project report here<\/span><\/span><\/a>). We investigated the policies that promote and constrain prescribed fire on federal lands and\u00a0<\/span>identify<\/span>\u00a0opportunities to change existing\u00a0<\/span>policy<\/span>\u00a0to allow for increased application of prescribed fire. We\u00a0<\/span>built on<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>this work\u00a0<\/span>in 2026\u00a0<\/span>with\u00a0<\/span>a project funded by the Resources Legacy Fund. We investigated\u00a0<\/span>challenges and opportunities for prescribed fire implementation on public forest lands in California, with particular attention to the role of air quality regulations.\u00a0<\/span>Additionally, with Forest Service research scientists\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Matt Thompson<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Sarah McCaffrey<\/span><\/span><\/a>, we\u00a0<\/span>wrote<\/span>\u00a0several papers focused on institutional variables that affect the current state of fire management in the United States.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Products<\/h2>\n

Journal Articles<\/h3>\n

Huber-Stearns, H.R., Santo, A.R., Schultz, C.A., and McCaffrey, S.M. 2021. Network governance in the use of prescribed fire: roles for bridging organizations and other actors in the Western United States.\u00a0Regional Environmental Change\u00a0<\/em>21(118): 1-17. Available at: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/s10113-021-01850-7<\/a><\/p>\n

Schultz, C.A., Moseley, C. 2019. Collaborations and capacities to transform US fire management.\u00a0Science<\/i>\u00a0366 (6461): 38-40; doi: 10.1126\/science.aay3727 \u00a0\u00a0Full text available here<\/a><\/p>\n

Schultz, C.A., McCaffrey, S., Huber-Stearns, H. 2019. Policy barriers and opportunities for prescribed fire application in the Western United States. International Journal of Wildland Fire<\/em> 28,<\/em> 874-884. Available at: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1071\/WF19040<\/a><\/p>\n

Schultz, C.A.,P. Thompson, S. McCaffrey. 2019. Forest Service fire management and the elusiveness of change. Fire Ecology<\/em> 15<\/em>,<\/em> 13. Available at: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1186\/s42408-019-0028-x<\/a><\/p>\n

Practitioner Papers<\/h3>\n

Greiner, M., Huber-Stearns, H., and Schultz, C. (2026). Collective Action on Smoke, Health, and Fire: Prescribed Fire Policy Barriers and Opportunities in California. Summer 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Available here.<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Schultz, C.A., Santo, A., Huber-Stearns, H., and McCaffrey, S. 2020. Strategies for Increasing Prescribed Fire Application on Federal Lands: Lessons from Case Studies in the U.S. West. CSU Public Lands Policy Group Practitioner Paper 6\/Ecosystem Workforce Program Working Paper 99. Fall 2020. PLPG Practitioner Paper #6 \/ EWP Working Paper #99\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

Legal Appendix to Working Paper #86:<\/a>\u00a0This appendix provides additional detail from our legal research on air quality law and policy. It includes an overview of the federal Clean Air Act, followed by details for each of the 11 western states in our study.<\/p>\n

Schultz, C., Huber-Stearns, H., McCaffrey, S., Quirke, D., Ricco, G., and Moseley, C. (2018). Prescribed Fire Policy Barriers and Opportunities: A Diversity of Challenges and Strategies Across the West. CSU Public Lands Policy Group Practitioner Paper 2, Summer 2018.\u00a0PLPG Practitioner Paper #2<\/a><\/p>\n

Briefing Papers<\/h3>\n

Schultz, C., Huber-Stearns, H., McCaffrey, S., Quirke, D., Ricco, G. (2017). Policy Barriers to Implementing Prescribed Fire. CSU Public Lands Policy Group Briefing Paper 1, Fall 2017.\u00a0PLPG Briefing Paper #1<\/a><\/p>\n

Webinars<\/h3>\n

Prefer to listen? View some of the results from this project in these two webinars:<\/p>\n