Working to prevent wildfire through responsible management

How New England Forestry foresters and the contractors we work with are striving to prevent wildfires in our communities

Using Forest Management to Reduce Wildfire Risk

Forest Management is a rigorous combination of practices and technologies that reduce the likelihood and severity of wildfires and mega fires. On New England Forestry land, we regularly assess fire risk and apply the following techniques as needed to reduce fire risk:

Controlled burning during low wildfire risk to reduce fuels in a managed setting

Preparing brush and debris to burn at a safe time

Making fire breaks, which are open areas that can stop fire spread

Proper spacing of planted trees to ensure they’re healthy and hydrated

Reducing vegetation which, if left unchecked, acts as fuel for a fire

Choosing root rot resistant trees, which are less susceptible to fire, in the Pacific Northwest

Thinning forests to ensure the remaining trees have adequate water and space

Watching for pests and different diseases, which can increase fire hazard

Fertilizing occasionally to ensure tree health

Diversifying tree ages and species, which can break up the continuity a fire may need to spread

Trees in managed forests absorb more water because they have less competition. This makes them more able to withstand a small fire and more likely to slow a wildfire down.
Managed forests typically have more accessible roads, making a safer work environment for firefighters in the event of an emergency.
Controlled burns have been used for centuries. Native peoples first began using prescribed burns to prevent wildfires 100s of years ago.
Burn activities are always done in cooperation with local fire officials on our properties.
We cooperate with state and local agencies to fight wildfires by providing firefighting resources and labor, detailed maps of our ownership, and access through our property.

Many New England Forestry foresters are trained firefighters, who bring their firefighting equipment to work to be ready in case of an emergency. You can learn more about our firefighting and fire prevention efforts in these stories:

New England Forestry’s Fire Crews Unite to Battle Historic Wildfires in the Southwest U.S.

In the face of an unprecedented historic wildfire season, New England Forestry’s fire crews united across state lines to fight wildfires in the Southwest U.S. Their courageous efforts underscored the critical importance of preparedness, leadership and teamwork. They share their frontline experience and how it enhances our ongoing forest management efforts in safeguarding our forests and communities from wildfires.
How Forest Management Prevents Forest Fires

Is forest management the key to drastically reducing wildfire risk? In this series, we talk to experienced foresters and firefighters about how to reduce the severity and frequency of forest fires, how to improve a wildland fire crew’s ability to put a fire out and what causes mega fires. In this first installment, New England Forestry foresters (who are also trained firefighters) share how forest management reduces wildfire risk.
How Forest Management Helps Protect Firefighters

Is forest management the key to drastically reducing wildfire risk? An Oregon firefighter shares how managed forests make fighting a wildfire less risky for firefighters AND the communities nearby in the second installment of our wildfire prevention series.
Preventing Wildfires and Protecting the Environment Together

Is forest management the key to drastically reducing wildfire risk? In our final installment of this series about wildfire prevention, we look at how firefighters, foresters and loggers are making strides in protecting well-managed forests.

Scheduled Controlled Burns: New England Forestry Pacific Northwest Ownership

New England Forestry cares about protecting the communities where we live and work. We use prescribed burning to reduce future wildfire risk when conditions are safe for these types of operations, such as during cooler and wetter weather. The forestry team focuses on the elimination of fuels such as debris and understory vegetation that could pose a risk.

* Note: New England Forestry's controlled burn notices are issued on a county-by-county basis in the Pacific Northwest only. While controlled burning does occassionally take place in our other U.S. locations, it is most frequent in our Pacific Northwest forests.

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Controlled Burns as a Silvicultural Tool

Prescribed fire demonstrates good stewardship from a management perspective

A controlled burn operation showing how a site is improved for planting.

There are many ways fire benefits the forest beyond wildfire prevention:

At planting time, fire is used to eliminate competing vegetation, allowing baby trees to take root.
Fire breaks down debris and returns nutrients to the soil, providing what is needed to nourish the forest.
Controlled burning eliminates certain diseases in the forest, such as brown spot needle blight in longleaf pines.
Burning supports a healthy wildlife population by opening areas for feeding and travel and allowing space for different plant species to grow, such as herbs and legumes.

Your Safety Comes First

When fire does break out in our communities, the safety of our employees and contractors, firefighters and the public comes first. Depending on the location of wildfires and risk of fire breaking out on or near our properties, we may limit access to them. Please use our interactive access map at this link to view your area and determine whether there are closures.