Building trust amidst barriers: Navigating social and policy challenges in California fire and fuel management projects

Abstract

To mitigate the increasing threat of catastrophic wildfires in California, policymakers have emphasized the need to accelerate and expand treatment of vegetative fuels, particularly through prescribed burning. This study investigates the sociopolitical barriers that land managers encounter when implementing these treatments. While prescribed burns have proven effective in reducing vegetative fuel loads and lowering the risk of severe wildfires, their deployment is complicated by various regulatory, resource, and social challenges. Focusing on four counties in California's Central Coast Ranges—Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Marin, and Lake—we employ ethnographic methods, including participant observation and interviews with key stakeholders, to examine how these barriers manifest across different socio-ecological contexts. Our findings reveal consistent challenges, such as permitting delays, resource constraints, and public trust issues, yet also highlight unique regional strategies that land managers and communities employ to overcome these obstacles. By examining these adaptive approaches, this study provides insights into how collaborative practices, like community-based prescribed burns, can foster stakeholder trust and enable more effective and equitable fire management across California's diverse landscapes.