Ventura County Launches Multi-Pronged Wildfire Risk Reduction Projects Across Region

Ventura County Fire Department crews and partner agencies are conducting a suite of fuels management projects Monday, June 1, aimed at lowering wildfire risk in communities along the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).

In Thousand Oaks, in the Rancho area near the US-101 and SR-23 freeways, firefighters and a tracked masticator are thinning hazardous vegetation and creating strategic fuel breaks designed to slow the spread of future wildfires.

Near Long Canyon in Simi Valley, targeted goat grazing is being used to naturally reduce invasive grasses and other flashy fuels while minimizing environmental impacts.

Today, VCFD and our partners are actively reducing wildfire risk across the county through a variety of fuels management projects designed to protect communities in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI).

In Thousand Oaks, specifically the Rancho area by the 101 and 23 freeways,… pic.twitter.com/WECKADseKy

— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) June 1, 2026

In Upper Ojai, partners are carrying out a 65-acre prescribed burn under carefully planned conditions to safely remove excess vegetation and reduce fuel loads.

Officials emphasized that no single tool solves the wildfire challenge. Mechanical treatment, prescribed grazing, and prescribed fire each play a critical role in building healthier, more fire-resilient landscapes. Proactive fuel reduction improves firefighter safety, strengthens defensible space, protects critical infrastructure, and can reduce the intensity and spread of future fires.

The Ventura County Fire Department says it is continuing to pursue collaborative fuels management and wildfire resilience projects countywide to help create safer, more fire-adapted communities. “Together, we’re building a more resilient Ventura County,” the agency said.