Deborah L. Filipelli

Before Smokey Bear There Was Woodbridge Metcalf: Rural and Forest Fire Protection in the Californiafire Environment, 1926-1945 Deborah L. Filipelli

California's natural environment evolved with fire, both lightning-based and anthropogenic. Thepre-settlement Native American's pattern of burningmanaged for vegetation and wildlife as well asmaintained diverse ecosystems of grassland, woodlandand forest. The culture of burning practiced byEuro-American settlers recognized the importance offire as a tool to manage resources. However, ingeneral, their improper use of fire disrupted theseecosystems by damaging and destroying grassland, woodland and forests, thus provoking a movement toconserve resources in the form of fire protection. Woodbridge Metcalf played a key role in thedevelopment of statewide fire protection policy andorganizations for rural and forest fire protection. His educational programs changed the public'sperception and behavior toward fire and establishedorganizations that operated with the objective ofcooperative statewide rural and forest fireprotection. Metcalf's legacy is one of fireexclusion. The absence of fire has changedCalifornia's ecosystems and created larger, moreintense, more destructive, and more expensive fires.