Updates | Photos | 2025/26 Projects
Cleveland National Forest fire crews are starting to conduct fuel treatment operations. These projects will continue into spring 2026. These fuel treatment operations will include vegetation thinning, cutting and piling, mastication, prescribed fire by burning of piles, and low-intensity understory burning. Fire and mechanical treatments are important tools for the Forest Service’s mission to reduce vegetation loading, and restore natural fire regimes, which in the long-term help communities live more safely in fire prone areas and improve forest health. To view project information for each district please go to projects page 2025/26 Projects.
Fire managers follow a risk-management approach when conducting these projects and mitigate impacts to local communities, residences and infrastructure. Fire managers will conduct prescribed fire activities during the safest possible “burn windows” in the coming months. Numerous factors including wind, humidity, air quality, fuel moisture and availability of fire crew personnel must be met before crews are authorized to move forward with burning.
The objective of the projects is to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire to people and communities, create conditions which offer a safer and more effective wildfire response, foster more resilient ecosystems, and minimize the effects of large wildfires on the landscape. In fiscal year 2024, the Forest's target for fuels reduction is 4,544 acres, and we accomplished 5,798. 2,061 acres of planned prescribed fire, and 3,737 acres of mechanical treatments which is a combination of mastication, cut and pile with chainsaws.
Residents and visitors are asked to avoid areas where prescribed fires are being conducted. Some smoke may be visible. People should not be alarmed as the fires are carefully managed and monitored. Local fire and government authorities are notified prior to burn days and kept informed throughout prescribed fire operations.
Additional updates on prescribed burning will be shared on this page and the forest’s social media on X (formally known as Twitter) at https://twitter.com/clevelandnf and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/clevelandnf
