Harvesting forest biomass reduces wildfire fuel

Years of drought, tree mortality due to insects and the successful suppression of forest fires over the past century have created dense stands of trees and shrubs. This buildup is potentially dangerous as a reservoir of fuel for uncontrollable wildfires in California forests. The advent of biomass power plants has made removal of excess plant material from the forest economically feasible, reducing wildfire hazard and preparing fire-adapted forests for reintroduction of prescribed fire.