Number of pages: 21

Year: 2026

Purpose: To provide a concise, actionable guide for land managers operating within Southern California, specifically those managing conserved lands working with SDMMP's SPARCS (https://sdmmp.com/sparcs) framework. Its purpose is to go beyond general fire guidance by establishing science-based protocols that integrate the prioritization of covered species and sensitive habitats with appropriate fire management activities, while also navigating the complex jurisdictional issues and policy differences inherent to multi-agency response. This aims to serve as the essential guide for southern California conservation land managers, including NGOs, to standardize collaboration with fire agencies and conservation partners, ensuring that during pre-fire planning, incident response, and post-fire recovery actions are unified, both operationally and financially efficient, minimize ecological and cultural impact, and uphold the long-term integrity of the conserved lands.

Prepared for: San Diego Association of Governments;

Prepared by: Fisher, Robert N.; McCutcheon, Sarah; Parker, Austin; Preston, Kris; USGS, San Diego Field Station;

Keywords: fire guidance; fire management; Post-Fire; pre-fire planning;

Projects:

• Suppression and Planning Actions for Restoring Communities and Species (SPARCS)