With the increasing length of the ‘fire season’ in California and the number and severity of wildfires, land managers are looking for means to reduce the risk of wildfire. One effective tool is ‘prescribed fires’ — that is, planning for a carefully controlled fire that is implemented by professionals to reduce the amount of fuel (vegetative matter) on the land. As the manager of the Illa M. Collin Conservation Preserve in Sacramento County, CNLM staff include prescribed fire in their potential tools for managing this 1,300-acre landscape of grasslands dotted with vernal pools. Erik Gantenbein, the CNLM Preserve Manager for this County-owned property, incorporates prescribed fire into management activities on the preserve to help control weeds and provide better conditions for the native species. Erik recently coordinated with Sacramento County Regional Parks staff to obtain the necessary permits and to provide public outreach, and with the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (‘Metro Fire’) to conduct three prescribed fires on the preserve in June. Erik was captured on video while explaining the conservation benefits of this management tool to a reporter with KXTV–an affiliate of ABC.