Thinning, Prescribed Fire, and Managing Wildfire for Resource Benefit Reduces Severity of the Midnight Fire

In June 2022, lightning ignited the Midnight Fire on the El Rito Ranger District in a Ponderosa Pine and Mixed Conifer forest. Previous thinning and prescribed fires enabled fire managers to reduce the impact and spread of the fire during extreme weather conditions. This promoted forest health, protected communities, and contributed to the ability of the forest to resist severe fire and be resilient to climate change . Preventing the Midnight Fire from becoming catastrophic highlighted ongoing management and the importance of community involvement.