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Point Reyes National SeashoreLimantour area during the 1995 Vision Fire
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Point Reyes National Seashore
Fuels Management

Fuels manangement is the manipulation of vegetation to reduce hazardous fuel and restore ecosystem health. Current fuels management is done in accordance with the National Fire Plan. The National Fire Plan, which was initiated in 2001, has accelerated fuels management programs on all federal wildlands.  

Fuels management involves many different kinds of treatment. 

 
Prescribed fire at Drakes Beach
NPS Photo
Prescribed Fire at Drakes Beach

Prescribed Fire
Several prescribed burns are conducted each year in different areas of the park. Due to the proximity of developed areas, all prescribed fires are designed to be completed within a single day. Each burn unit is approximately 100 acres or less. 

 
Bobcat front-end loader lifting cut logs during thinning of eucalyptus along Highway One
NPS Photo
Thinning eucalyptus along Highway 1
Mechanical Treatment
Cutting vegetation with chainsaws, mowers, weed wackers, and pruning shears are common fuel reduction techniques. Chippers are used to reduce the size of the larger debris so it can be used as much or hauled to a composting station. 
Earthquake Trailhead  

Did You Know?
Earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault adjacent to Point Reyes are rather rare. Big quakes shift Point Reyes up to 20 feet once every 130 years or so, but otherwise there is very little movement.

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Last Updated: July 15, 2008 at 14:30 EST