Fire Education Program
Fire is a natural process that has shaped the landscapes and people of California for millennia. Prior to the arrival of European settlers, fires were frequently set by lightning and Native Americans, triggering natural cycles of rebirth and regeneration. The prevalence of fire on the landscape reduced the risk of catastrophic fire and allowed Native Americans to enhance their environment to meet their needs. While fire may lead to loss and challenges for communities in fire-prone areas such as the Southern Sierra Nevada, there are many science-based opportunities to create healthier landscapes using fire and to protect your home, livelihood, and community from the impacts of wildfire.
This page offers resources for homeowners, landowners, ranchers, and others in the agricultural community about wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and recovery.
Below are links to the statewide UCANR Fire website. Links in the menu on the left will keep you on the UCCE Madera webpage and include resources that focus on Madera County.
Learn more about:
Contact your local office to find an Advisor that can assist you with any questions this page doesn’t help you answer:
Introducing our new YGPBC Coordinator; Laura Wisdom!
We are excited to introduce Laura Wisdom, our new Coordinator for the Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative serving Mariposa and Madera counties.
She brings a background in wildland firefighting, fire ecology, prescribed fire, hydrology and outdoor recreation to the position after having worked for the Forest Service and National Parks Service in Yosemite and Northern California forests.
Laura is passionate about bringing community members together to find practical solutions for mitigating wildfire risk, helping each other practice safe and effective prescribed fire, and having fun while doing it.
In her free time, Laura can be found out in the mountains, running, paddling and hiking with her dogs.
To contact Laura and learn more about the Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative, please email her at lwisdom@ucanr.edu