Uniting Fire Science and Natural Resource Management
Registration is now open for in-person and virtual attendance at the 9th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress in Miramar Beach, Florida from November 30th – December 4th, 2021. Opportunities for sponsorship, exhibit booths, and presentations are still available. The workshop will feature a selection of optional fire science field tours co-sponsored by the Southern Fire Exchange to fire managed lands in Northwest Florida.
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A National Science Foundation funded project led by researchers from the University of California-Irvine seeks to build an international network of wildland fire researchers. iFireNet includes affiliate researchers at Tall Timbers Research Station and the US Forest Service Southern Research Station, both of which are key partners on the Joint Fire Science Program funded Southern Fire Exchange. iFireNet looks to connect existing wildland fire research programs across five continents to accelerate the pace of innovation.
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The NOAA-HRRR-Smoke and Fire Mapping System provides an interactive web-based tool to track and observe current and predicted smoke concentrations across the US lower-48 states. More information about the NOAA-HRRR model. A recent article about wildfire smoke in the New York Times featured the NOAA-HRR Smoke Mapping System as well a general discussion of some potential health impacts from reduced air quality.
Continue ReadingA Wildland Fire Support Services position is available with the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands (CEMML). This position is located at Eglin Air Force Base in Niceville, FL. **Application period extended to Aug. 2nd**
This position serves as Support Services for the Eglin Wildland Support Module (WSM) for the U.S. Air Force Wildland Fire Branch (AFWFB) based at Eglin AFB, FL. The primary purpose of this position is to provide a wide range of logistical and administrative support functions. In addition, opportunities to assist with wildland fire management may be available depending on qualifications. The Eglin WSM is a high-paced program responsible for implementing an average of 80 prescribed burns and responding to 60 wildfires annually on Air Force properties throughout Florida and the southeast U.S. The position is expected to be 80% office work and 20% fieldwork.
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The EPA AirNOW Fire and Smoke Map has been updated with a new interactive dashboard and additional features. For more information see the following press release from the EPA.
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EPA, Forest Service Release Improved Tools to Equip the Public with Information and Resources on Wildfire SmokeWASHINGTON (July 19, 2021) — As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to improve wildfire preparedness, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Forest Service have released updates to the popular AirNow Fire and Smoke Map to help protect communities across the country from the devastating impacts of wildfire smoke.
“Smoke from increasingly frequent, intense and widespread wildfires in the West is a significant public health threat, and EPA is committed to keeping people safe,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “The updated Fire and Smoke Map harnesses the power of data and technology to help confront this challenge head on. The updated map provides additional tools to help communities near the front lines better understand their risks from wildfire smoke and the actions they can take to protect their health during wildfire events.”
EPA and the Forest Service launched the Fire and Smoke Map as a pilot in 2020 to provide the public information on fire locations, smoke plumes and air quality all in one place. The map quickly became a key wildfire smoke information source for the public, with more than 7.4 million views in the map’s first three months.
To give users the most localized air quality information possible, the Fire and Smoke Map pulls data from monitors that regularly report to AirNow, temporary monitors such as those the Forest Service and air agencies have deployed near fires, and crowd-sourced data from nearly 10,000 low-cost sensors that measure fine particle pollution, the major harmful pollutant in smoke. The map also provides easy access to smoke forecast outlooks, which the Forest Service provides when Air Resource Advisors have been deployed to wildland fires.
For 2021, the two agencies have made several improvements to the map based on feedback from state and local air agencies, Tribes, and members of the public. The updates include a “dashboard” that map users will see by clicking on a monitor or sensor. The dashboard gives users quick access to key information that can help them plan their activities: the current Air Quality Index (AQI) category at the monitor/sensor location; information showing whether air quality is getting better or worse; and information about actions to consider taking, based on the current AQI.
The updated Fire and Smoke Map also is more “mobile friendly” for people who visit the AirNow.gov website from a smartphone or tablet. The map will be available as part of the AirNow app in app stores in the coming weeks.
Visit the Fire and Smoke Map at https://fire.airnow.gov/
See below for a timely update from the planning team responsible for the upcoming Southern Area RT-300 / Burn Boss Refresher event coming up November 29th – December 2nd in Chattanooga, TN. Registration and more information.
We invite you and your organization to participate in the 2021 Southern Area Interagency Prescribed Fire Training for Burn Bosses and Agency Administrators which will be held November 29 – December 2, 2021 at the Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga TN.
The key word this year is interagency – and that means more than just federal agencies. We are welcoming federal, state, tribes, non-government organizations, academia; really anyone who participates in prescribed burning to attend. Yes, the various agency requirements for certification normally included at RT-300 will be covered but there is so much more to the 2021 event. This year we have curriculum for agency administrators as well as burn bosses. Plus, this event provides an opportunity to share the latest and greatest technology, information, techniques and successes within the prescribed fire community. The event is meant to be a learning experience for all that attend, an opportunity to build relationships, and discuss key issues in prescribed fire, monitoring and ecosystem management and restoration. The workshop is organized conference-style, and all participates will pre-register for a subset of sessions over 3 days.
How can you and your organization participate?
- Register and participate in the training: This training will include multiple sessions covering over 20 topicsincluding monitoring, ecosystem management, firing techniques, risk decision making, working with the public and writing better burn plans. Plan to arrive in Chattanooga on November 29 to sign in. Register Here.
- Display posters about your organization or programs: Use this opportunity to relay your organization’s mission, recruit personnel or share your accomplishments. Posters will be displayed throughout the convention center and will not be staffed.
- Informational Poster: Agencies and organizations, please take this opportunity to brag about your program and accomplishments. Your agency or group may be sponsoring a contest for the best poster submission!
- Research Poster: We don’t want you to create a new poster, but rather reuse posters you have created for other meetings or conferences and share them with a new audience. You do not need to attend to share your poster.
Contact Beth Buchanan at beth.buchanan@usda.gov for more information on poster displays. Sorry, your material cannot be returned but we may redisplay it at future events.
- Information Tables and Technology Room Booths: We are hosting information tables and a technology room where you can interact with attendees throughout the event.
- Information tables with brochures, displays or handouts will be located throughout the center and students can visit during breaks and lunch.
- The Technology Room will be a session that participants can enroll in allowing them several hours dedicated to learning about the latest technologies of their choice. If you have tools or software that would best be explained in an individual or small-group session, please sign up to demo in the Tech Room.
Contact George Custer at ghcuster@gmail.com if you have questions about booths. George can help determine the best use of your information at a Tech Room booth or information table.
To contribute a poster please go to this link Posters
To provide an information booth use this link Information Booth
And if you’d like to join the Tech Room, use this link Tech Room
We look forward to having representation from all the organizations, agencies, partners and researchers who support prescribed fire in the southern area!
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Dr. John Willis and Dr. Dale Brockway of the US Forest Service Southern Research Station in Auburn, Alabama have released their 2021-2022 regional longleaf pine forecast report. This report includes current cone counts and conelet observations from 11 sites ranging from Louisiana to Florida and up to North Carolina. Fire and land managers can use these data to inform plans to maximize natural regeneration opportunities in mature longleaf stands. Download the full report here. For questions about the report contact Dr. John Willis (John.willis@usda.gov).
Continue ReadingA Wildland Fire Support Services position is available with the Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands (CEMML). This position is located at Eglin Air Force Base in Niceville, FL. **Application period extended to Aug. 2nd**
This position serves as Support Services for the Eglin Wildland Support Module (WSM) for the U.S. Air Force Wildland Fire Branch (AFWFB) based at Eglin AFB, FL. The primary purpose of this position is to provide a wide range of logistical and administrative support functions. In addition, opportunities to assist with wildland fire management may be available depending on qualifications. The Eglin WSM is a high-paced program responsible for implementing an average of 80 prescribed burns and responding to 60 wildfires annually on Air Force properties throughout Florida and the southeast U.S. The position is expected to be 80% office work and 20% fieldwork.
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The May – June 2021 issue of the Southern Fire Exchange Fire Lines newsletter is out! Click through to read a research brief on mesophication in eastern US forests, science and technology updates relevant to the Southeast, new video interviews, new wildland fire podcasts, upcoming events, and more! Do you have thoughts about our newsletter? Contact us!
Continue ReadingThe 2021 International Fire Ecology and Management Congress will be held Nov. 30 – Dec. 4 in Miramar Beach, Florida. The conference is being co-hosted by the Association for Fire Ecology and Tall Timbers Research Station. The Southern Fire Exchange is supporting the conference by co-coo
rdinating the conference field trips that will take attendees to locations around North Florida that have examples of overcoming fire management challenges and prescribed fire barriers. Proposals for conference special sessions are now being accepted and general registration will open in July. Read more about the upcoming conference and opportunities for student scholarships.
