Gates Road Saw training

CAL FIRE’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit is preparing to establish a recurring chainsaw training site on approximately 300 acres of privately owned forestland east of Calistoga, California, beginning in 2025. The project targets a degraded forest dominated by Douglas-fir, redwood, and oak species that have been severely impacted by wildfire, prolonged drought, and beetle infestations, resulting in widespread tree mortality and heightened fuel loads. Under the Gates Road Saw Training initiative, CAL FIRE personnel will conduct supervised felling, limbing, and bucking operations during seasonal training sessions in spring and fall, using live fire behavior scenarios to enhance firefighter readiness in real-world conditions. The work will be carried out in phases over multiple years to systematically reduce hazardous fuels, improve access, and promote long-term landscape resilience while ensuring strict adherence to safety protocols. All removed timber will be managed according to the landowner’s preference—either lopped and scattered on-site, hauled away, or repurposed as firewood. The project is designed to strengthen operational capabilities, mitigate wildfire risk, and foster a more sustainable forest environment through hands-on, practical training that mirrors the demands of active fire suppression efforts.