Stanford
Wildfire Resilience

Wildfire Resilience

Wildfire Resilience

This site contains information about the Wildfire Resilience program at Stanford University. We focus on land stewardship activities, fire fuel reduction treatments, and partnering with community agencies to enhance regional wildfire resilience.

Land Acknowledgement

Video courtesy of the Native American Cultural Center at Stanford

 

Mission

To aid the University, in partnership with community agencies, in preventing, identifying, and mitigating the impact of wildfires through:

  • The implementation of land stewardship activities designed and targeted to prevent ignition, minimize smoke, and reduce the flaming zone
  • Ensuring that land stewardship activities are completed in a manner that is consistent with our values and policies for protecting sensitive species, native ecosystems, and cultural resources 
  • Identifying and supporting opportunities to incorporate field research
  • Piloting innovative technologies that aid in wildfire prevention, impact reduction, and rapid identification 
  • Community outreach and education about our land stewardship activities

Wildfire Resilience Report 2023 - 2024

Our annual update report has been released for the 2023-24 year! Read more about Stanford’s Wildfire Resilience program's progress. 

Report, 2023-2024

Wildfire Resilience Report 2022 - 2023

Our annual update report has been released for the 2022-23 year! Read more about Stanford’s Wildfire Resilience program's progress. 

Report, 2022-23

Stanford Wildfire Management Plan 2021

The document that provided the foundation of our work and focused on vegetation management across Stanford's 8,200 acres.

WFMP 2021

Resources

Check real time data from the weather station on the Stanford Historic campus

Create your own weather reports
See the Site Here

Latest News & Stories

Wildfire Preparedness & Evacuation Guide is Published!

Be prepared before the next wildfire strikes. Our Wildfire Preparedness & Evacuation Guide gives you clear, step-by-step instructions to help you protect your family, home, and community. From knowing when to leave, to what to pack, power outage planning, this guide makes it easier to stay calm and act quickly in a wildfire emergency. Having a plan saves lives—start with this guide.

Download here!

Alpine Road Eucalyptus Tree Removal Project

During the week of June 16, the Wildfire Resilience Team coordinated the removal of tall eucalyptus trees along a critical evacuation route, deploying highly skilled vendors to carry out the work safely and efficiently.

International Collaboration: UK & Stanford

Dr. Monica Staniek, a researcher and firefighter from the United Kingdom, visited Stanford in early June to explore the university’s newly installed wildfire detection system and other initiatives aimed at enhancing wildfire resilience.

Pictured (left to right): Lincoln Bleveans, Executive Director of Sustainability, Utilities, & Infrastructure; Dr. Monica Staniek; Rachel Minjae Lit, Wildfire Living Lab Fellow, ’25; Sonoko Rooney, Administrative & Operations Associate; and Cody Hill, Associate Director of Resilience & Emergency Response.

Stanford's Wildfire Boot Camp!

Cody Hill presenting to 25 congressional staffers at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment inaugural Wildfire Boot Camp, discussing the Stanford Wildfire Resilience Program.

Click here to read the full article

ABC 7 News Coverage of the Wildfire Detection System!

Burn control experiment behind the Stanford Dish! 

An experiment to explore how controlled burns can help manage vegetation and provide insights into the impact of wildfires on soil chromium levels!

Goats and Sheep Have Arrived on Stanford Lands for Spring of 2024!

Between two programs at Stanford, Real Estate Operations and Wildfire Resilience, there are over 1700 livestock grazing on Stanford lands helping with vegetation management. 

The USDA's Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Submits Report to Congress

The report contains 148 recommendations ranging from enabling beneficial fire (pages 96 and 97), modernizing tools for decision making, increasing collaboration, and much more. 

Click Here to Read the Report

Aerial view of the JRBP pile burns in March of 2024. Learn more below.

Wildfire Resilience Program Signage

Is similar in design to the “Heads-Up” and “Stay Safe” programs, with aim to be educational to the public and an emphasis on positive work being completed. Look for these signs to identify when we are working to enhance wildfire resilience.

Stanford Report Article: Pile Burns planned at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve

A fuel reduction project to improve wildfire resilience in and around the preserve is a living lab for wildfire management research and an opportunity to model cultural burning for Indigenous communities.

Click Here for the Stanford Report Article

Wildfire Resilience Pile Burns Featured on ABC 7 News!

The Wildfire Resilience program and researchers at Stanford University are taking advantage of the wet weather by burning fire fuel for wildfire management at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (JRBP) in Portola Valley ahead of the fire season.

Click Here for the Article

Pictured above from left to right, Zander Opperman, Office of Sustainability Living Lab Intern, Luisa Rapport, University Communications, and Sheena Sidhu, JRBP. 

Meet the Wildfire Resilience Team!

The Wildfire Resilience program is a multi-department effort supported by staff from across Stanford University. There is a formal steering committee and an implementation work group. Many team members serve in both capacities to support the diverse activities of the program. Additionally, we work closely with our regional partners to strive for community wildfire resilience.

Regional Partners