The Catalina Island Conservancy has announced “Operation Protect Catalina Island,” a comprehensive 30-year restoration effort designed to reduce wildfire risk, safeguard freshwater sources and restore the Island’s native ecosystems.
“January’s wind-driven fires in Palisades and Altadena were a wake-up call for every community in Southern California, confirming that fire season is every season,” said Whitney Latorre, president and CEO of the Catalina Island Conservancy. “On Catalina Island, preparing for wildfire is not optional. We must restore the Island’s natural defenses to reduce fire risk and protect lives, livelihoods, homes and history.”
A safety-first approach
CAL FIRE, California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, designates Catalina Island as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone—its highest risk category. Operation Protect Catalina Island addresses the growing wildfire risk driven by invasive species that disrupt natural recovery and create conditions for more frequent and destructive fires. The plan prioritizes three main action areas:
- Establish Healthy Land and Water — Wildfire resilience starts with the land itself. Strong soil prevents erosion, anchors native plants and helps them capture and hold water into the land. Those plants then help replenish groundwater and sustain the watersheds and water sources that provide Avalon’s freshwater.
- Bring Back Native Plants — Native plants are Catalina’s natural firefighters. Evergreen leaves capture moisture from fog, roots stabilize soil and shelter seeds, and many species rebound quickly after fire. Native plants also provide essential habitat for wildlife and crowd out invasive grasses that fuel dangerous blazes.
- Create Balance for Native Species — Invasive plants and animals disrupt Catalina’s natural balance. Invasive grasses rebound quickly after fire, creating more fuel, while invasive deer eat down young native seedlings before they can re-establish. The cycle then repeats by feeding more frequent wildfires, weakens soils and leaves fewer native seeds in the ground to sprout.
- Community Feedback Shaped Plan
Community feedback has played a central role in shaping Operation Protect Catalina Island. After concerns were raised about deer removal by helicopter, the Conservancy shifted its approach to professional, ground-based methods carried out over multiple years. In the early-phases of the plan, the Conservancy will continue the locals-only hunting program during the traditional season, ensuring meat gets into freezers while restoration work progresses.
“Every choice we make comes back to wildfire risk. Invasive deer and invasive grasses create a cycle that fuels hotter, more frequent fires,” said Lauren Dennhardt, senior director of conservation. “Protecting the Island means protecting people, homes and Catalina’s rare wildlife.”
Immediate fire prevention efforts
While Operation Protect Catalina Island focuses on long-term resilience, the Conservancy continues to implement short-term wildfire prevention tactics. In 2024 alone, crews reduced brush on more than 700 acres, treated highly flammable invasive plants across 150 acres and maintained 165 miles of roads and trails that serve as firebreaks and emergency access routes.
Eleven Conservancy staff members, including rangers, are trained and equipped as wildland firefighters to assist Los Angeles County Fire Department operations. The Conservancy has also expanded wildfire awareness through its “Be Fire Free For Fox Sake” campaign and posts daily fire danger levels at catalinaconservancy.org/firefree to ensure people are aware of risks before heading to the interior of the Island.
Next Steps
The project will begin with a fenced, 10-acre pilot restoration area to test and refine methods before scaling to a 105-acre high-priority restoration zone. Landscape monitoring across 60 long-term plots, first established nearly two decades ago, will track changes in plant cover, species diversity and ground conditions.
“This work will take decades, but the choice is clear,” Latorre said. “We must protect the Island’s future, together.”
About the Conservancy
Founded in 1972, the Catalina Island Conservancy is one of California’s oldest private land trusts. It protects 88% of Catalina Island’s approximately 48,000 acres, including more than 62 miles of rugged shoreline and diverse wildlands. The Conservancy provides a balance of conservation, education and responsible recreation by protecting rare ecosystems, offering outdoor learning experiences as L.A. County’s largest outdoor classroom and maintaining nearly 165 miles of trails.
The Conservancy invites visitors to experience the Island’s wildlands firsthand.
