Forestry Division - Fuels Mitigation

Fuels Mitigation

The Wyoming State Forestry Division Hazardous Fuels Mitigation Program informs, educates and is a resource for individuals, families and communities throughout the State of Wyoming. The program increases public awareness of the risks and dangers associated with wildland fires and provides a foundation for increased efforts to protect against them. We aim to manage and protect resources through the implementation of fuels management and the use of the Cohesive Strategy to develop fire adapted communities, maintain resilient landscapes, and improve response to wildland fires.

What is fuels Mitigation?

Fuels mitigation is a way to manage lands that will reduce the threat of wildfire to an area. Efforts to implement fuels mitigation treatments can be done at any time, however it is better to recognize and reduce the threat before there is an emergency. Treatments are done through reducing the amount of vegetation, both live and dead, to create a safer environment. These safer environments can then contribute to

- Minimizing losses to life and property
- Allowing for faster post fire recovery
- Lessening of the financial impacts of fire
- Providing for firefighter and public safety

How do we mitigate fuels?

Fuels mitigation works to create safer environments through reducing the amount of vegetation in an area for firefighter and public safety. Creating safer environments can be done through implementing fuels treatments. The three main types of treatments are:

- Defensible Space; this is the area around a structure where vegetation and objects are managed to increase the chance of the structure surviving a wildfire, either with or without protection. The area includes the structure and the landscape at least 100 feet out to prevent direct flame contact and reduce radiant heat from impacting the structure. Treatments will vary depending on vegetation types and topography.
- Fuels Treatments; usually take place in areas outside of the defensible space and reduce the amount of vegetation, both live and dead, to influence fire behavior, minimize the impacts of wildland fire and aid in fire suppression efforts. Treatments include removing hazardous fuels through either biological, chemical, and/or mechanical means. Often treatments include the use of fire to burn residual slash piles or through low intensity prescribe burns.
- Fuel Breaks; much like fuels treatments, fuel breaks work to slow, or even stop the spread of fire. Fuel breaks focus on creating a strip of land that has a reduced amount of vegetation and are placed in strategic locations such as ridge tops, property boundaries or access roads.

It is important to know where property lines are and to not cross property lines when implementing treatments.

State Wide Contacts

If you are interested in assessing the current status of the fuels on your property and what you can do to implement fuels mitigation, please contact the Wyoming State Forester for your area. Additionally, counties across Wyoming have Fuels Mitigation Coordinators who provide assistance and consultations for private landowners. Find out who you can contact by following the links above or visiting a few of county program websites below.