Insights and Suggestions for Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Programs

Prescribed burning is a centuries-old land management tool in which fire is applied to predetermined areas of land to prevent wildfires, control plant diseases, restore ecosystems, and clear downed trees. In the United States, 21 states allow prescribed burning as a tool for forest management. Of those, 15 states have active and formal certified prescribed burn manager (CPBM) programs which allow stakeholders in the community to gain certification in prescription burning techniques within their own community. This resource highlights the protocols and requirements that must be considered for cohesive and accredited CPBM programs across the U.S. Additionally, recommendations are offered for the development of Washington state’s CPBM program.

In a nutshell, this resource offers:

• A dissection of CPBM programs across 15 states including objectives, benefits of certification, target audience, prerequisites, required coursework, required burning experiences, length of certification, decertification standards, and program administration.
• Considerations and recommendations for the development of a CPBM program in Washington state.
• A look at challenges associated with implementing more prescribed burning practices in the U.S.  

How to use this resource:

• Learn about the process of becoming a Certified Prescription Burn Manager within your own state.
• Develop a CPBM program within your own state, or any state without one, based on examples from existing programs in 21 states.
• Collect information to advocate for and defend the use of prescribed burning as an important and favorable land management tool.

Author: Megan S. Matonis, Forest Stewards Guild 

Date published: February 2020

Point of contact: Amy Witt, Ecologist, Forest Park Forever, awitt@forestparkforever.org. 

Citation: Matonis, Megan. 2020. Insights and Suggestions for Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Programs. Forest Stewards Guild, Feb. 

Resource is available online here.