Wildfires are a common occurrence in the South Western United States and much of the area’s biologic systems are a result of fire, flood, and regeneration cycles of plant communities. On average, first-year post-fire watershed sediment yield is 35 times greater than comparable unburned levels. This accelerated erosion can cause site degradation and threatens life, property, and infrastructure. To reduce undesirable consequences of post-fire accelerated erosion a program of slope and stream channel erosion and sediment control measures should be considered. Remediation should not be pursued in all areas affected by the fires. Not only are the costs prohibitive, but natural regeneration typically occurs at a better rate than a human effort to augment it. Typically less than 2% of the land area affected by fire should receive Sediment and Erosion Control treatments. A common approach is to weigh the likelihood of hazards against the severity of its impact, to determine which sites have highest priority for mitigation. Historically, most high priority sites occurred very close to human populations.  The pictures and quotes below come from a post fire restoration project after the San Bernardino fires of late 2007.