Managing Megafires: Lessons from California’s Natural Resources Agency

Jessica Morse is the Deputy Secretary for Forest and Wildland Resilience at the California Natural Resources Agency. Our topic in this episode is wildfires, in particular, megafires. Jessica leads California's statewide response to wildfire resiliency. Since 2019, she has secured billions of dollars for wildfire resilience programs, such as community home hardening, forest fuel management (including healthy thinning and fuel break establishment), and watershed health initiatives. Jessica coordinates and collaborates with state and local agencies, conservation groups, and public and private stakeholders. She works to streamline collaboration for quick and effective problem-solving, addressing the scale and urgency of the issue. Additionally, she navigates the state legislature's budgetary cycles to secure the necessary funding for these programs. For those living in California or other fire-prone areas, wildfires are one of the ways that climate change feels most tangible, and it's heartening to hear how strongly the state has responded to the escalation of extreme mega fires since 2018.