Science shows more prescribed fire is needed across landscapes but workforce capacity and public perception limit its use

The University of California Office of the President, Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources (UC ANR) received a $200,000 project grant awarded on September 15, 2025, under the Women and Minorities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (WAMS) Fields Program (CFDA 10.318), administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture. The grant supports the delivery of two week-long Young Women+ in Fire Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges (YW+TREX) programs designed to inspire young Americans aged 16-24 to pursue careers in wildland fire, prescribed fire, and fire science. Each training will accommodate 30 participants and provide comprehensive support including live fire training, instruction in fire ecology and natural resources policy, stipends for travel, registration fees, and personal protective equipment. UC ANR will recruit qualified instructors from its Fire Network to conduct the trainings.

The project addresses critical workforce gaps in prescribed fire capacity and the underrepresentation of women in the wildland fire workforce. While recruitment will prioritize young women, registration will remain open to all eligible Americans ages 16-24. The grant includes a built-in evaluation component that will track participants for at least one year post-training to assess short- and long-term program impacts and inform future training development. The project period extends through September 14, 2028, with performance taking place in Oakland, California.

The prescribed fire and wildland fire workforce remains insufficient and is further limited by women being underrepresented within this workforce. This project aims to inspire women to pursue careers in wildland fire, prescribed fire, and fire science through two weeklong young women+ in fire prescribed fire training exchanges (YW+trex). The YW+trex program is modeled after the women-in-fire prescribed fire training exchange (wtrex) program that provides participants with both live fire training and education about fire ecology, natural resources policy, and social dynamics. Each training will host 30 participants and provide each with stipends for travel, registration, and personal protective equipment. UC ANR fire network members and a highly qualified group of instructors will be recruited to conduct each training. Although recruitment for these trainings will target young women, registration will be open to all americans between the ages of 16 and 24 to apply. The goal of this program is to increase the number of young americans interested in fire science and prescribed fire. Evaluations will follow students for at least one year after each training to understand the short- and long-term impacts of the YW+trex program and inform future trainings.