Recovery, Restoration, and Mitigation on Conserved Lands
The Dixie Fire—the second largest fire in California’s history—and the Beckwourth Complex Fire ravaged over 1 million acres of land in the Feather River region. The devastation to communities, wildlife habitats, agricultural lands, and headwater lands in the Feather River Watershed will impact our region for years to come.
At FRLT, work has already begun to support Nature’s recovery on the lands we’ve conserved, together. We’ve moved quickly to assess and document damage by the fires and stabilize impacted lands. While our immediate response is in progress, we’re also focusing on the future. We need your help.
Fire Recovery & Restoration Fund
Help restore the Sierra Nevada's largest watershed
We've established the Fire Recovery & Restoration Fund to help us rapidly scale up our capacity to address fire recovery and long-term restoration in the Feather River Watershed. Help restore our watershed to protect California's water supply and build a climate-resilient future.2021 Fire Impacts
During the summer of 2021, two catastrophic megafires—the Dixie Fire and the Beckwourth Complex Fire—raged through the Feather River region, devastating communities and burning through forests, meadows, and agricultural lands at the headwaters of the Feather River.
1 million acres
burned in the Feather River region
18 properties
13 protected and 5 in progress
85 percent
of lands conserved by FRLT
We have a plan
Working with Nature for Fire Recovery
We’ve formed an interdisciplinary Fire Recovery Task Group of regionally and nationally renowned fire and cultural resource experts to help guide our fire recovery efforts. We’ve developed a 3-year plan for ecologically sound recovery and restoration in the Feather River Watershed—the After the Burn: Emergency Response Initiative.
We’re working with our Fire Recovery Team and landowners to develop immediate, short-term and long-term strategies that together will enable us to work with Nature to restore some of the most ecologically important lands for California’s water resources, food production, and a climate-resilient future.
ASSESS IMPACTS
Scientifically assess fire severity and impacts on natural, cultural, and agricultural resources on 18 properties (conserved and in progress), totaling over 57,000 acres.
ESTABLISH RECOVERY PROTOCOLS
Establish ecologically sound protocols for supporting natural regeneration where possible, and appropriate interventions for restoration where needed.
STABILIZE THE LAND
Plan and enact immediate remediation strategies before winter to prevent erosion and protect critical water and cultural resources.
LONG-TERM RESTORATION
Develop restoration plans and partnerships for ecological recovery and climate resilience for each impacted property. Secure public funding to implement projects.
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Get updates on our fire recovery & restoration work
Timeline
Drawing on expertise from our Fire Recovery Task Group, FRLT’s seasoned conservation staff, and other land trusts impacted by megafires, we’ve developed the After the Burn: Emergency Response Initiative, a 3-year fire recovery and restoration plan that changes the way we do business in light of our new reality of climate-driven megafires.
FRLT/Kristi Jamason
Give to the Fire Recovery and Restoration Fund
For our water. For our future. Help us restore Feather River headwaters and habitats. Donate today!
Partnerships
We accomplish more together
Fire recovery and resilience in the Feather River Watershed is a monumental effort that can only happen through working together. Community partnerships and collaboration will be critical to restoring conserved lands and building landscape-scale fire resilience, including fuels reduction and restoring Indigenous burning to the land.
Help our communities rebuild
The Dixie and Beckwourth Complex fires impacted nearly every community in the Feather River region. People have lost homes and businesses; lives have been disrupted and changed. The devastation in the Feather River Canyon, Indian Falls, Greenville, Indian Valley, Canyon Dam, and Doyle is heartbreaking. There are many ways to lend a hand.
Maidu Homelands
The Dixie Fire burned through Tasmám Koyóm (Humbug Valley) and other Maidu homelands. Support Maidu Summit Consortium in their fire recovery efforts.
Dixie Fire Collaborative
Learn about current relief, recovery, and rebuilding efforts and support organizations that are helping individuals and communities rebuild.
Almanor Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund
Supports projects and initiatives to rebuild and revitalize communities impacted by wildfire
Thanks to our supporting partners
Explore More at FRLT
Wildlife and Fire
Sierra Nevada wildlife biologists, Paul Hardy and Ryan Burnett, share the impacts of wildfire on native wildlife species.
Fire Recovery Progress Update
In 2022, we're one year into our three-year fire recovery initiative to mitigate the damage on 57,000 acres of FRLT-owned or conserved lands from the Dixie and Beckwourth Complex fires.
Fire Recovery & Restoration in the Feather River Watershed
We've created an Emergency Fire Response Initiative—a 3-year effort that changes the way we do business in light of climate-driven megafires. Learn more about our plan that's already underway.
2022 Conservation Successes
Take a look back at 2022 with us and celebrate the successes made possible by our supporters. It was a fulfilling year of community, collaboration, and conservation success!
Bucks Lake Conservation Story
Protected in 2021, Bucks Lake is a Plumas County treasure. Surrounded by public lands and the PCT, the PG&E owned reservoir offers exceptional outdoor recreation and its habitats support a remarkable diversity of wildlife.
Dixie Fire and Beckwourth Complex
The Dixie Fire and Beckwourth Complex burned over 1 million acres, impacting Feather River communities and conserved lands. We're working with response teams and landowners to mitigate impacts.
Protecting PG&E Headwater Lands
We worked with PG&E and Maidu Summit Consortium to protect 43,000+ acres of important Maidu homelands, headwaters, and habitats for public benefit.
California State Wildlife Areas Expanded
FRLT played a key role in helping to expand two California State Wildlife Areas in Sierra Valley.
Sierra Valley Conservation Partnership
We’re conserving working family ranches in Sierra Valley, which hold the Sierra Nevada’s largest wetlands and montane meadows and sustain incredible biodiversity.
Fire in the News
The New York Times
Dixie Fire Ravages California Towns
8/6/21. The Dixie Fire has ravaged parts of California for more than three weeks and engulfed entire towns. (video)
San Francisco Chronicle
Why California's Dixie Fire got so big
Updated 10/1/21. And what that means for future blazes.
The New York Times
Fighting the Dixie Fire
10/11/21. Inside the battle to defeat a wildfire the size of Rhode Island.
The Washington Post
Anatomy of a wildfire
9/17/21. How the Dixie Fire became the largest blaze of a devastating summer.
The New York Times
'I would want to die right here'
Updated 10/11/21. A Native American community fights to protect its land from the Dixie Fire.
The Nevada Independent
Large-scale fires
8/5/21. Large-scale fires, fueled by drought, have scorched thousands of acres this year, and the impacts are regional.
Why We Do It
We all have a stake in a healthy future
From water to wildlife we’re conserving the places you love, now and for future generations.
