Managing California’s forests should be a top priority in reducing harmful carbon emissions.

Considering the results of a recent UCLA and University of Chicago study, preventing future wildfires certainly needs to be up there with banning gas powered leaf blowers, kitchen stoves and cars.

Researchers found that California’s 2020 wildfires — including the Creek Fire that burned nearly 380,000 acres near Shaver Lake — resulted in more than double the amount of greenhouse gas emissions slashed by the state from 2003 to 2019.

According to the study, wildfire emissions in 2020 equated to 127 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions — second only to transportation (166 million metric tons) but well above industry (88 million metric tons) and power generation (59 million metric tons).

The global monetized price tag from California’s 2020 wildfire emissions was $7.1 billion.

The fact remains that the federal government owns nearly 58% of California’s 33 million acres of forestlands, while the state owns 3%, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office. That’s why improved joint state-federal management of forests is not only crucial to rural communities, but also to the Golden State’s increasingly ambitious climate goals.

It only takes one horrific wildfire season to wipe out a generation of progress.