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The Effect of Large Wildfires on Local Labor Markets

Year of Publication
2012
Publication Type

Although fire managers, policymakers, and communities are benefiting from better understanding of suppression costs, property losses, and community impacts of large fires,4 no generalizable empirical research has quantified the specific effect of large wildfires on local employment and wages.

Wildfire Suppression Contracting: The Effect of Local Business Capacity During Large Wildfires

Year of Publication
2012
Publication Type

Contracting capacity and local capture can be the result of local economic conditions (supply side conditions) as well as agency contracting practices (demand side conditions). In order to capture contracts locally, local businesses that can perform the work need to exist, and past experience contracting with the federal government is a reasonable indicator of that capacity.

Thinning

Year of Publication
2008
Publication Type

Thinning is one of the most powerful forest management tools available to landowners for achieving a wide range of goals and objectives.

Disposing of Woody Material

Year of Publication
2008
Publication Type

Thinning to reduce hazardous fuels often generates large amounts of woody residues, such as small-diameter logs, tree tops, and branches. This publication discusses several options for economically and effectively using and disposing of woody material.

Mechanical Treatments

Year of Publication
2008
Publication Type

Many manual and mechanical methods are used to reduce hazardous fuels on woodland properties. This publication describes three of the most common methods: Slashbusting and grinding Mowing and mastication Crushing Mechanical methods use several types of equipment to chop, chip, crush, or otherwise break apart fuels—such as brush, small trees, and slash—into small pieces or chips.

Pruning

Year of Publication
2008
Publication Type

Pruning is removing the lower branches of trees. Increasing the distance between the ground and the lowest tree branches reduces the likelihood that a fire on the ground will use the branches as a ladder to move into tree crowns.