Modoc National Forest

Large, destructive wildfires are often the big story. Firefighters and firefighting aircraft come from across the country. The images, the action, the fast-moving flames threatening Small Town USA, appear on your screens.

But there is another big story taking place across the country. Communities, Tribes, and Federal agencies are coming together to confront the crisis and reduce the risk. The USDA Forest Service recently announced further support for the agency’s strategy to confront the wildfire crisis. An additional $500 million to expand work, reducing wildfire risk to communities, critical infrastructure and natural resources.

The Modoc National Forest is a part of this strategy to reduce wildfire risk to communities and their residents, not just on the national forest but across a 10-million-acre area—the Klamath River Basin.

Modoc National Forest Supervisor Chris Christofferson said, "The Klamath River Basin is a biodiversity hotspot that once support one of the largest salmon and steelhead runs on the west coast. It is a privilege to take part in upland restoration activities that will reduce the risk of catastrophic fire. National funding through the Wildfire Crisis Strategy has allowed us to implement thinning and fuels reduction projects. We have also been able to identify critical forested areas on the Medicine Lake volcano and beginning planning restoration activities. The entire Klamath River Basin is connected, and our actions up-stream will support the return of healthy fish populations and communities down-stream.”

Watch this five-part video series as we explore the work already being done on the Modoc National Forest and other areas across the landscape. We spoke with foresters, scientists, residents and our partners about the factors contributing to the wildfire crisis, how to make communities and forests more resilient, protecting watersheds and about how together we’re getting the work done. https://fast.wistia.com/embed/channel/bzasnm32ls?wchannelid=bzasnm32ls