General History

The main significance of the Clar Plan was the proposition that the "State of California was to assume complete jurisdiction and responsibility for suppressing forest and watershed fires" on lands so designated by the State and that all other areas were the primary responsibility of the respective city, county or Federal agency in whose jurisdiction it fell. The Clar Plan also proffered that a "physical plan of protection including personnel, structures, communication facilities and equipment [should be] developed strictly upon the basis of need to accomplish the fire control job without the slightest concern for political boundaries or anticipated source of funds." This internal plan of "unification" as Clar put it, was being driven by many factors including the Federal work program and the depletion of "county treasuries" from the continuing economic depression. Although the CCC-WPA programs had given the State of California a physical operating plant for the California Division of Forestry to carry out its wildland fire protection mission the State Legislature had yet to fund the staffing of this new system. The Clar Plan gave a formula for spending but the elected officials in Sacramento needed more motivation before they would commit to the estimated $3,000,000 that the Clar Plan disclosed it would cost to fully implement.

The growing prospect of war had prompted the U. S. Army to instruct all State governments to prepare civil defense plans. In September of 1941, the State of California established the State Council of Defense. The Council of Defense saw in the Clar Plan a mechanism for a statewide fire defense plan. The Council advised the CAL FIRE to be prepared to "assume statewide fire dispatching and standby fire protection on the periphery of cities and vital industries." With Japan's premeditated and vicious attack upon Pearl Harbor, the Aircraft Warning System, which utilized a number of fire lookout facilities to house aircraft spotters, went on war status. Observers were rushed to their respective posts. The U.S. Army had delegated to the Forest Service the responsibility of seeing to it that all lookouts (Federal, State and local) were in readiness. Contingency plans had called for the winterizing of existing lookout stations and the erection of scores of temporary cabins at other strategic locations. Clar, as Chief Deputy State Forester, assumed operation of the CAL FIRE's role in civilian defense and immediately had 30 fire lookouts staffed, all State fire trucks put on standby, and organized a 24 hour dispatch team at the central offices in Sacramento. These civil defense actions quickly added a nearly $40,000.00 deficit to the State budget. In view of the times, State Officials did not object and emergency appropriations during the War years brought about the rapid implementation of the Clar Plan.

Earl Warren was elected California's Governor in 1943. Warren appointed William Moore as Director of the Department of Natural Resources. Moore was familiar with and a supporter of the Clar Plan. Without delay he approved formation of six administrative districts within the CAL FIRE which the Clar Plan had proposed. He also instructed the Chief Deputy State Forester to go, as Clar later wrote, "around the State to inform the boards of supervisors that henceforth the State Division of Forestry would give such fire protection to the delineated State and privately owned timber and watershed lands as a specified number of fire crews and other facilities would provide. And also, whenever necessary the State would pay such emergency fire fighting costs as might be deemed proper by the State. And further, the State would augment its forces to any extent and manner desired by the county when reimbursed for the actual cost of the service provided, plus a five percent administration fee." Within a State structure for basic service, the counties had flexibility to build up their own systems with their own fiscal resources as they saw fit. But the real significance of Moore's action was the committing of the State of California to hire and pay the salaries of seasonal and full-time employees in the operation of a statewide wildland fire protection department. The California State Government was now inextricably in the business of wildland fire control. The California Division of Forestry had come of age.

Shortly after the War, two other milestones in the CAL FIRE's history were reached. The idea of buying cut-over land and establishing a State Forest system reached a State Legislature that was receptive toward forestry. In 1945 a special bill was passed to appropriate $100,000 for the purchase of a tract of land which became designated the Latour Demonstration State Forest in Shasta County. Another appropriation to the tune of $600,000.00 soon followed for the acquisition of land in Tulare County. After the Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest was established in Tulare County the State Legislature codified and enacted rules under which the State Board of Forestry and the California Division of Forestry could acquire, manage, and administer State Forest lands. In 1946 a $2,000,000.00 "purchase fund" was setup by the Legislature. From this the lands which constitute the Jackson Demonstration State Forest were procured. Several other State Forests have been added to the system since then. The State Forest system now includes eight units totaling over 71,000 acres.

The other milestone was the establishment of a prison "honor camp" program. Since formation of the second State Board of Forestry the notion that inmates should be used for conservation projects and wildland fire protection had been promoted by different individuals. During World War II, with a critical labor shortage now in effect, selected prisoners were taken from San Quentin and organized into hazard reduction and emergency fire fighting crews. The success of this operation paved the way for the introduction of a Youth Honor Camp system. In 1945 four such camps were founded and a cooperative arrangement between the California Youth Authority and the California Division of Forestry was approved. The CAL FIRE would provide personnel to supervise field work and provide appropriate fire training. The Youth Authority would maintain custodial care of the wards. The program soon extended to the California Department of Corrections' adult population and a system of honor camps (later renamed conservation camps) was developed.

Today 85 million acres of California is classified as "wildlands." Some 15 million acres are identified as valuable forestland with about half of this being federally owned. In 1945, the Forest Practice Act was passed into law to regulate commercial timber harvesting on the non-Federal lands. The act was revised in 1973 and contains provisions that timber harvest plans for commercial operations are to be prepared by Registered Professional Foresters. CAL FIRE administers the law, and logging operators must be licensed by the CAL FIRE to operate upon non-Federal lands.

Webmasters Addition:

In 2005, the men and women of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) continue their dedication to the fire protection and stewardship of over 31 million acres of California's privately-owned wildlands. In addition, CAL FIRE provides varied emergency services in 35 of the State's 58 counties via contracts with local governments.

The Department's firefighters, fire engines, and aircraft respond to an average 6,300 wildland fires each year. Those fires burn an average of nearly 144,000 acres annually.

Beyond its wildland fire fighting role, CAL FIRE answers the call more than 300,000 times for other emergencies each year. It may very well be a CAL FIRE engine and crew that is dispatched to the scene of an auto accident, or to a home where a child has become the victim of a drowning incident. The Department responds to medical aids of all types, hazardous material spills, swiftwater rescues, search and rescue missions, civil disturbances - the list is endless.

Many people have come and gone, major incidents have occurred, programs have undergone transformations, and technological advances have changed the way business is conducted. This overview of CAL FIRE history, along with program histories you will find on this website, have attempted to capture the spirit and integrity of the people and the mission of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Ray Clar joined CAL FIRE when CAL FIRE became the Division of Forestry in 1927, then put in 42 years of service to the Department. He authored ìCalifornia Government and Forestry I and IIî, the ìClar Planî referenced in this brief history, numerous publications and writings, and was truly the Departmentís historian. Ray Clar passed away in 1996.