CAL FIRE

31/05/2026

🚨 ICYMI: We’re ready.

With temperatures climbing across California, conditions are shifting quickly—making preparedness more important than ever. CAL FIRE resources are already in position, trained, and ready to respond the moment they’re needed.

While fire activity increases heading into warmer months, preparedness is already in motion across the state. Prevention, response capability, and public awareness all work together to help protect lives, property, and communities.

| CBS News Bay Area recently highlighted this work in a segment showcasing how we’re prepared for heightened fire activity and what readiness looks like in real time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoSb8LydbHE

With temperatures beginning to heat up, Cal Fire showcased its readiness and the equipment crews will be using to battle Northern California wildfires this s...

31/05/2026

🔥 Different ways we fight wildfires.

When combating wildfire, CAL FIRE employs a range of operational strategies that generally fall into three categories:

➡️ Direct attack 🚒
Firefighters work along the fire's edge, using hoses, hand tools, and engines to stop the fire from spreading.

➡️ Indirect attack 🚜
Firefighters work ahead of the fire, building dozer and hand lines and conducting firing operations to create strategic buffers and steer the fire away from homes and communities.

➡️ Air support 🚁
Helicopters conduct water drops while fixed-wing aircraft apply fire retardant to slow the fire's spread, allowing firefighters on the ground to suppress the fire.

Every fire is different, so we use the most effective mix of strategies to protect lives, property, and natural resources. 🌲

30/05/2026

🌳 We need YOUR help.

The Goldspotted Oak Borer (GSOB) is an invasive pest quietly damaging oak trees across Southern California. It spreads quietly, and by the time trees show signs of damage, it’s often too late.

The GSOB Blitz is a community effort where people like you help spot and report signs of the beetle while you’re out in nature. Your observations can help experts track the spread and protect healthy forests.

If you hike, camp, or spend time outdoors in Southern California, you can be a part of the solution and help save California’s oaks.

👉 Get involved: https://bit.ly/GSOBlitz

29/05/2026

🎓 Congratulations to our newest graduates!

Today, we’re celebrating the graduation of CAL FIRE’s newest Heavy Fire Equipment Operators and Company Officers.

All graduates have trained in demanding scenarios, technical skill-building, and real-world readiness. They’ve pushed through intensive instruction, hands-on fieldwork, and high-pressure simulations designed to mirror the conditions they’ll face in their day-to-day jobs and incident assignments.

Join us in congratulating these graduates as they step into the next chapter of service.

29/05/2026

We are asking for public feedback on a Tribal Wildfire Resilience Grant.

Funding will be available for projects that support California Native American tribes in managing ancestral lands, implementing Traditional Ecological Knowledge in wildfire resilience efforts, and restoring culturally important ecosystems.

CAL FIRE will review comments and update the guidelines after public comment period closes.

📅 Submit comments by June 29, 2026, to: [email protected]
🔗 Learn more: https://bit.ly/TWGrant

29/05/2026

Looks fun—but if our crews are in the water, it usually means someone is in serious trouble.

Our Swiftwater Rescue teams are trained to move fast. When seconds count, they’re prepared to conduct rescue operations within minutes in fast-moving rivers, flood channels, and other high-risk waterways.

These specialized teams are part of our all-risk response capability, providing critical support to communities when water emergencies happen without warning.

Enjoy rivers, lakes, and waterways responsibly. Small choices, like staying alert, respecting conditions, and knowing your limits, help keep everyone safe and help keep our crews out of dangerous situations.

📍 CAL FIRE Amador-El Dorado Unit

28/05/2026

Every dollar spent on forest fuels treatment saves about $3.75 in wildfire damages, according to new research from UC Davis that analyzed nearly 300 wildfires across the western United States.

We’re working alongside our partners to increase the pace and scale of landscape resilience projects across California. Through strategic fuels reduction, prescribed fire, and cultural burning, we’re helping reduce wildfire intensity, protect communities, and improve the long-term health of our forests.

👉 Read the full study at: https://bit.ly/ForestFuelUCD

A UC Davis study finds every dollar spent on forest fuel treatments saves $3.75 in wildfire damages.

28/05/2026

🚁 MEET THE HELITORCH.

The helitorch is one of the specialized tools CAL FIRE uses to safely ignite prescribed burns in steep or hard to reach terrain.

During the Whittle Prescribed Burn in Calaveras County, this aerial ignition tool helped firefighters complete a 106-acre project designed to reduce wildfire risk and strengthen the health of the surrounding landscape.

Prescribed fire projects like this one clear excess brush, improve wildlife habitat by removing invasive plant species and overgrowth, and lower the intensity of future wildfires. Carefully planned, safely executed — and proven to protect communities.

CAL FIRE Tuolumne-Calaveras Unit

27/05/2026

Please take a moment for your mental health.

As we close out Mental Health Awareness Month, take a moment to remember this: mental health is part of your overall wellness— it’s no different than your physical health, and it’s just as important to take care of.

Whether it’s taking a quiet moment, getting outside, meditating, practicing yoga, checking in with someone you trust, or talking with a professional, taking care of your mental health supports a healthier life on and off the job.

26/05/2026

Red Flag Warning does not mean a wildfire has started.

It’s a weather alert that tells us conditions are right for a fire to start easily and spread quickly: dry vegetation, low humidity, warm temperatures, and strong winds.

If you live in California, think of it as a “high fire risk day” where even a small spark can turn into a fast-moving wildfire.

Homeowners should prepare by moving anything that can burn inside or away from the home.

On Red Flag Warning days, avoid ALL activities that can create sparks—like mowing dry grass, dragging chains, or using heavy equipment outdoors.
See smoke or fire? Call it in right away.