The San Diego Superior Court has ordered Cal Fire to amend its Vegetation Management Program, which uses prescribed fire and cutting to reduce wildfire risk, due to concerns it may worsen fire dangers in California’s chaparral ecosystems. The California Chaparral Institute and Endangered Habitats League argue that clearing chaparral leads to the growth of invasive grasses that are more flammable than native plants. While Cal Fire contends their program addresses these concerns, the court has mandated a reevaluation, halting individual projects from using the program’s environmental review until solutions are proposed. The ruling emphasizes the conflict between ecologists seeking to maintain biodiversity and fire officials focusing on immediate fire prevention strategies.
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