In response to the deforestation and loss of cover caused by the 1978 Creighton Ridge Fire, that burned more than 11,000 acres and destroyed 64 homes in the region, work crews planted nearly a quarter million pines with State of California assistance. The concept put forward by the state was to establish a pine forest which would serve as ‘nurse trees’ to allow Douglas fir and redwood trees to fill in, allowing removal of the pines. These trees are about 45 years old and still growing densely. Landowners are focusing on community-scale land management issues, but despite ongoing forest management efforts, fuel load is excessive and the area is at high risk of catastrophic wildfire.