As wildfire seasons continue to shape life in the Sierra foothills, local organizations are offering residents practical ways to become better prepared—not just when flames threaten, but long before fire season reaches its peak.

This August, two educational workshops will give Mariposa and Eastern Madera County residents the opportunity to learn skills that can help protect their families, homes, and forested properties. While each program focuses on a different aspect of wildfire preparedness, organizers say both are designed to help communities become more resilient.

The first opportunity is a Smoke Readiness Workshop on Saturday, Aug. 15, coordinated by the Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative (YGPBC) in partnership with the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and the Eastern Madera County Fire Safe Council.

Wildfire smoke has become an increasingly common part of summer and fall across the Sierra. Even fires burning many miles away can create unhealthy air quality for days or weeks at a time, especially for children, older adults, and those with respiratory conditions.

The half-day workshop will help participants better understand how to protect themselves during prolonged smoke events, ask questions directly to air quality officials, and build an inexpensive do-it-yourself air filter for their homes. Four completed air filters will also be raffled off to participants. According to the workshop flyer, the event will be held in Oakhurst from noon to 4 p.m., with a $10 registration fee and scholarships available.

While preparing for smoke addresses one side of wildfire readiness, another workshop focuses on reducing fire risk before it starts.

The Forest Stewardship Workshop, hosted by University of California Cooperative Extension, begins Aug. 4 and runs through Sept. 29 as a primarily online course with weekly classes. Participants will learn how to develop a Forest Management Plan while exploring topics including forest health, fuels reduction, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and long-term management strategies for private forestland.

For local landowner Ken Kinoshita, whose family has cared for a 50-acre property since 1976, the program helped replace uncertainty with confidence.

“Managing it over the years has often felt overwhelming,” Kinoshita said. “The knowledge and practical tools shared during the sessions made me feel more confident and responsible about caring for our land.”

He said one of the most valuable aspects of the course was learning how to develop a comprehensive forest management plan, along with the follow-up visit from a Registered Professional Forester that helps landowners apply what they’ve learned.

Laura Wisdom, coordinator for the Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative in Mariposa and Madera counties, encourages forest landowners throughout the region to consider participating.

As California continues adapting to longer fire seasons and changing forest conditions, workshops like these are becoming another tool available to residents—offering practical knowledge that can help families protect both their health and their land.

Learn More

Smoke Readiness Workshop

• Saturday, Aug. 15
• Noon–4 p.m.
• Oakhurst
• $10 registration (scholarships available)
• Includes DIY air filter demonstration and raffle for four air filters.

The Forest Stewardship Workshop begins Aug. 4 and runs through Sept. 29, with weekly online classes and an optional field day in Plumas County.

Registration information for both workshops is available through the Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative and the University of California Cooperative Extension.