A CATline carved into a ridge near Shasta Lake during the 2018 Carr Fire.

The construction of fire containment lines with bulldozers, called “catlines” in the lexicon of wildland firefighters, is a routine activity in wildfire suppression.

Bulldozers can carve firelines at a faster pace and work next to higher flames than ground crews working with handtools. In the right places and conditions, catlines can successfully stop fire spread and contain a given section of a wildfire. However, bulldozing a fireline is one of the most environmentally destructive means of fighting wildfires.

CATlines:

• heavily impact soils, slopes and streams

• create linear clearcuts that fragment forest habitats

• create hazardous fuel loads for future wildfires

• create “ghost roads” for illegal off-road vehicle use

• destroy Native American artifacts and cultural sites

• are becoming increasingly less effective in stopping wildfire spread

Bulldozers were used extensively on the 2018 Carr Fire in northern California, almost to no effect in preventing the wildfire from spreading across 230,000 acres and roaring into the city of Redding where it ignited an urban conflagration that destroyed or damaged nearly 2,000 homes. Eight people were killed, including three firefighters, one of whom was a bulldozer operator. Another dozer operator was severely injured and almost died.

Read FUSEE’s full report on the Carr Fire CATlines and check out the video below: