Southern Fire Exchange

Fueling Collaboration: Fire and the Wildland Urban Interface in the Eastern US
2022-02-17 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Notions of fire and the wildland urban interface often bring to mind scenes from the western United States, where catastrophic wildfires have led to catastrophic losses. In contrast, mapping efforts have found that the vast majority of the WUI acres can be found in the eastern United States. This panel will talk about how wildfire, prescribed fire, and climate change intersect in the WUI of the east.
Register here.

SFE Webinar: Tools for Hosting Online Wildland Fire Courses
2022-02-24 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Register here.
A free one hour webinar from the US Forest Service, Tall Timbers Research Station, Southern Fire Exchange, NC State University, and University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Lindsey Curtin, US Forest Service
Zach Prusak, Tall Timbers Research Station
Sean Flanagan, US Forest Service
Webinar Description: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many fire practitioners are exploring ways to use virtual platforms to offer, supplement, and improve training. This webinar will cover two tools available for hosting online fire courses: the Wildland Fire Learning Portal and a learning management system owned by Tall Timbers Research Station. Presenters will discuss potential courses that can be offered, intended audiences, and how to use each platform. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.
Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.

SFE Webinar: Results and Recommendations from the Southeast Prescribed Fire Training Needs Survey
2022-03-03 13:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Register here.
A free 1.5 hour webinar from the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy – Southeast Regional Strategy Committee, Southern Fire Exchange, NC State University, and University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Jennifer Fawcett, North Carolina State University
Laurel Kays, North Carolina State University
Gary Wood, Southeast Regional Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy – Southern Group of State Foresters
Webinar Description: The Southeast Prescribed Fire Training Needs Survey was conducted in January 2021 to assess the state of prescribed fire training in the region and identify barriers, deficiencies, and areas for improvement. This webinar will discuss highlights from the survey report, including results from the nearly 1,000 responses and key observations and recommended actions to improve training across the region. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.

Fueling Collaboration: Thinking Beyond Fuel Reduction
2022-03-17 12:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
We often view prescribed fire simply as an alternative to wildfire and as little more than a tool for fuel reduction. This panel will share some of the benefits of controlled burns that go beyond that notion. We’ll explore using “goodfire” for food production, reducing disease transmission and more!
Register here.

Partner Webinar: "20 Years of Partnership: Lessons Learned from the South Central Fire Learning Network"
2022-05-10 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
20 Years of Partnership: Lessons Learned from the South Central Fire Learning Network
The South Central Fire Learning Network in Arkansas and adjoining states has spent 20 years cultivating a diverse coalition of restoration practitioners, scientists, policy makers and on-the-ground managers. With projects including two Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program (CFLRP) projects (together totaling over 1 million acres) the 80,000-acre Happy Bat Project, and leadership of the Shortleaf Pine Initiative, the South Central FLN is a national leader in collaborative restoration.
On this webinar, we will hear from some of the partners that have made this sustained success possible: McRee Anderson (TNC), Jim Mccoy (USFS), Randy Brents (Arkansas Game and Fish Commission), and Gabe De Jong (TNC). They will briefly discuss the history of the partnership, lessons learned from building and sustaining it, and an overview of the current state and future direction the partnership is seeking.
The majority of the webinar will be spent on an interactive panel discussion. Participants can pre-submit questions through this form or submit questions live during the webinar. Contact Laurel Kays (laurel.kays@tnc.org) with any other questions. Register here.

Virtual Workshop - From Flames to Forests: Past, Present, and Future Fires for Sustaining Our Forests and Wildlife
2022-06-07 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Virtual Workshop
From Flames to Forests: Past, Present, and Future Fires for Sustaining Our Forests and Wildlife
Presented by the Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society
June 7, 2022
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM ET
From Flames to Forest: Past, Present, and Future Fires for Sustaining our Forests and Wildlife

Registration link: https://www.crowdcast.io/e/from-flames-to-forests
Continuing Education Credits (pending approval) Society of American Foresters, Wildlife Society, USDA-NRCS

Agenda
Tuesday, June 7th from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM
11:00 AM – 11:10 AM: “Welcome and Introduction” Charlie Faires, Forester, Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society
11:10 AM – 11:35 AM: “Fire History Paradigms: What’s “Natural”?” Dr. Kevin Robertson, Fire Ecology Research Scientist, Tall Timbers Research Station
11:35 AM – 12:00 PM: “Forest and Fire Ecology: Understanding the Relationship Between Forests and Fire” Dr. Heather Alexander, Assistant Professor of Forest Ecology, Auburn University
12:00 PM – 12:05: Break
12:05 PM – 12:30 PM: “Disturbance Dependent Wildlife: Fire as a Tool for Wildlife Management” Dr. Ben Jones, President and CEO, Ruffed Grouse Society and American Woodcock Society
12:30 – 12:55 PM: “Managing Forests with Fire: Fire as a Silvicultural Tool” Dr. Tara Keyser, Research Forest and Director of the Center for Forest Restoration and Management, United States Forest Service
12:55 PM: Break
1:00 PM – 1:25 PM: “A Community of Practice: Implementing Prescribed Fire at Scale” Adam Warwick, Southern Blue Ridge and Fire Leaning Network Project Manager, The Nature Conservancy
1:25 PM: Panel Discussion with Lecturers

SFE Partner Webinar: Introducing the North American Tree-Ring Fire-Scar Network
2022-06-08 14:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Webinar: Introducing the North American Tree-Ring Fire-Scar Network

When: June 8, 2022 at 12:00-1:00 pm central time
Presented by: Dr. Ellis Margolis, Research Ecologist, USGS Fort Collins Science Center and Dr. Christopher Guiterman, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) University of Colorado at Boulder, and NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
Hosted by: Joint Fire Science Program’s Fire Science Exchange Network
Register: https://umsystem.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJArd-qurDgjE9bW2ACpjzczxSc6LIqsZkr0
Abstract: A recent collaboration by ~90 tree-ring and fire-scar scientists has resulted in the publication* of the newly compiled North American Tree-Ring Fire-Scar Network (NAFSN), which contains 2,562 sites, > 37,000 fire-scarred trees, and covers large parts of North America. In this publication, authors investigate the NAFSN in terms of geography, sample depth, vegetation, topography, climate, and human land use.
In this webinar presenters will present major findings from the publication, demonstrate data accessibility, highlight management applications, and discuss future steps planned for the NAFSN.
* Margolis, Q. E, Guiterman, C. H, …L. L. Yocom. in press. The North American tree-ring fire-scar network. Ecosphere.

Partner Webinar: National Academics Climate Conversations Wildfire Webinar
2022-08-25 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
Climate Conversations Webinar: Wildfire
August 25 | 3:00PM – 4:00PM EDT
Register to join the webinar
Climate change is increasing the frequency, severity, and extent of area burned by wildfires in the U.S., putting more people at risk of exposure to fire itself and to smoke, which can travel thousands of miles and affect the health of millions of people. A.R. “Ravi” Ravishankara (Colorado State University) will moderate a conversation between Sarah Coefield (Missoula City-County Health Department) and Erica Fischer (Oregon State University) about how planners and decision makers are coping with these challenges and working to protect the built environment and human health.
The conversation will be webcast on the Climate Conversations: Wildfire webpage on Thursday, August 25, 2022 from 3-4pm ET. Closed captioning will be provided. The conversation will include questions from the audience and will be recorded and available to view on the page after the event.
Climate Conversations: Pathways to Action is a monthly webinar series from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that aims to convene high-level, cross-cutting, nonpartisan conversations about issues relevant to national policy action on climate change.

SFE Webinar: New Research Towards Improving the Wildland Fire Shelter
2022-08-31 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
A free one hour webinar from North Carolina State University, the Southern Fire Exchange, and the University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Dr. Roger Barker, Burlington Distinguished Professor of Textile Chemistry, North Carolina State University
Dr. Joe Roise, Professor of Forestry, Operations Research and Fire Science, North Carolina State University
Webinar Description: For the wildland firefighter, deploying a shelter is the last thing they want to do – it’s the final resort, the last line of defense. While there’s no such thing as ‘fire-proof,’ NC State University researchers are seeking to develop new fire shelters that can buy more time. They were able to demonstrate that new fire shelters could increase the time to failure by as much as 30 seconds – time that could be critical for survival. This webinar will discuss the recent science in the design and structure of wildland fire shelters. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.
Registration: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_uQRCFhrRSo2y8YPydd_CvQ

SFE Live from the Field: Protecting Giant Sequoias
2022-09-09 12:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Online, United States
SFE Live from the Field: Protecting Giant Sequoias from the Ground Up
Let’s take a field trip out West! Join us this Friday, September 9th from 12:00 – 12:30 PM ET for our first SFE Live from the Field with Ludie Bond, Florida Forest Service Public Information Officer and Gretchen Fitzgerald, Sequoia National Forest Ecosystem Staff Officer.
Ludie Bond is a long-time friend of the Southern Fire Exchange currently assigned to support the Giant Sequoia Emergency Response effort on the Sequoia National Forest in California. She and Gretchen Fitzgerald will explain current and ongoing efforts to protect giant sequoia from wildfire and return prescribed fire to the groves.
Register here.

Partner Webinar: SFE FireMap 2.0
2022-09-20 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
SE FireMap 2.0 Webinar:
Tuesday, September 20th
2:00 PM ET
Free and open to all.
Register now for a free and open webinar on the Southeast (SE) FireMap on Tuesday, September 20th!
Join us to learn about the SE FireMap and what we’re doing to make this decision-support tool even more useful for resource managers. Led by USDA-NRCS, Tall Timbers Research, and USGS.
Expanding & Updating the SE FireMap
When: Tuesday, September 20th, 2022
At: 2 PM US/Eastern
Where: On Zoom – Register here
Webinar Description:
The SE FireMap is a fire mapping system that uses remote sensing to track prescribed fire and wildfire activity throughout the southeast. A beta version of the SE FireMap was released in early 2021 and an expanded SE FireMap 2.0 will be released by Spring 2025. SE FireMap 2.0 will provide annually updated information to increase the effectiveness of fire planning and conservation practices.
During this webinar, we will walk through SE FireMap 1.0, discuss the development of SE FireMap 2.0, and outline ways users can provide input on its development. Q&A will follow a brief presentation. The SE FireMap was developed with funding from USDA-NRCS.
Registration is required on Zoom

Partner Webinar: The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland Urban Interface
2022-09-20 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Report Webinar: The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface
3:00 – 4:00 PM ET Tuesday, September 20, 2022
Register for the webinar here
Hosted by the US National Academies of Sciences
Wildfires in America are becoming larger, more frequent, and more destructive, driven by climate change and existing land management practices. Many of these fires occur at the wildland-urban interface (WUI), areas where development and wildland areas overlap and which are increasingly at risk of devastating fires as communities continue to expand into previously undeveloped areas. Unlike conventional wildfires, WUI fires are driven in part by burning of homes, cars, and other human-made structures, and in part by burning vegetation. The interaction of these two types of fires can lead to public health effects that are unique to WUI fires.
This report evaluates existing and needed chemistry information that decision-makers can use to mitigate WUI fires and their potential health impacts. It describes key fuels of concern in WUI fires, especially household components like siding, insulation, and plastic, examines key pathways for exposure, including inhalation and ingestion, and identifies communities vulnerable to exposures. The report recommends a research agenda to inform response to and prevention of WUI fires, outlining needs in characterizing fuels, and predicting emissions and toxicants.
Join project staff and members of the committee for a public release webinar about the new report on Tuesday, September 20th from 3:00PM to 4:00PM EDT.
Join this public release webinar for the new consensus study report, The Chemistry of Fires at the Wildland-Urban Interface Report.

Partner Webinar: Bladen Lakes Isolated Wetlands Restoration Workshop
2022-09-21 13:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Bladen Lakes Isolated Wetlands Restoration Workshop
Sept. 21, 2022
1:00 – 4:30 PM ET
Online (Sept. 21) and Optional In-Person (Sept. 22)
Note: This hybrid workshop consists of two parts, a webinar (Sep. 21, 2022) and a limited capacity (30 participants) field tour in the Bladen Lakes, NC region (Sep. 22, 2022). The field tour will visit Suggs Mill Pond game land, the Broadwell property, and Bladen Lakes State Forest. To register for the webinar please click on “Register Now”. To register to participate in the limited capacity (30 People) field tour email Julian Wilson, julian.wilson@ncagr.gov. Field tour participation will be capped at 30 participants on a first-come basis. A waiting list will be maintained.
Isolated wetlands are critically important to conserving ecosystem biodiversity in the Southeast. They provide many ecosystem services, to include improving water quality. They are a vital natural resource, important in maintaining biodiversity and essential for wetland-dependent wildlife. Participants in the webinar will learn about restoration of isolated webinars. Presenters will discuss priority amphibians, plants, and natural communities, and will review restoration needs and strategies, including the use of fire in wetlands.
Register for the webinar
Webinar Agenda

Welcome, introduction, and participant poll – Jeff Hall (NCWRC), Julian Wilson (NCFS)
Importance of Bladen Lakes region for wetland restoration – Jeff Marcus (TNC)
Splendid Isolation: The importance of isolated wetlands to herpetofauna in North Carolina– Jeff Beane (NCMNS)
Rare Plants of Isolated Wetlands in Southeastern NC – Katherine Culatta (NCPCP)
Isolated wetland natural communities– Mike Schafale (NCNHP)
Habitat degradation, restoration strategies, & examples from FL – Mike Sisson (NCWRC)
Examples of wetland restoration in NC – Jeff Humphries (NCWRC)
Fire and wetland management – Ken Shughart (NCWRC)
Round Robin overview of key conservation lands in region

Bladen Lakes State Forest – Hans Rohr (NCFS)
Bay Tree Lake/Jones Lake/Singletary Lake State Parks – Ed Corey (NCSP)
Suggs Mill Pond & Whitehall Game Lands – Ken Shughart
Key private lands (Broadwell/Bayfields) – Richard Broadwell

Overview of field trip logistics and objectives
Closing remarks

Partner Webinar: National Wildfire Resilience Public Opinion Research Briefing
2022-11-02 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual

SFE Webinar: UAS / Drones for Prescribed Fire Ignitions
2022-11-03 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual
SFE Webinar: UAS for Prescribed Fire Ignitions

A free one hour webinar from Raven Environmental Services, the Southern Fire Exchange, and the University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenter:
Brett Lawrence, Project Manager – Drone and GIS Services, Raven Environmental Services
Webinar Description: This webinar will share how the incorporation of UAS aerial ignition into a private prescribed burning program impacted operations between 2019 and 2021. The speaker will share some insights into how using UAS changed burn planning and how it mitigated challenges relating to fire operations. The presentation will include the quantitative impacts of using the UAS, as well as case studies from some specific prescribed burns. Finally, the speaker will share limiting factors that they continue to encounter when using the UAS on burns. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.

Register: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_RxiMcLcOTOejQX9v-nO-gw

Partner Webinar: Can restoration of of fire-dependent ecosystems reduce ticks and tick-borne disease prevalence in the eastern United States?
2022-11-08 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Online, United States
Can restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems reduce ticks and tick-borne disease prevalence in the eastern United States?
November 8, 2022 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
Hosted by the Oak Woodlands & Forests Fire Science Consortium and the North Atlantic Fire Science Exchange
The Wildlife Society and The Society of American Foresters continuing education credits (1 hour Cat 1) anticipated.
Register here: https://umsystem.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcrcuqoqT8pGdzK0DdqiqvRRblIf9w98lFQ
A unique Zoom Meeting link will be emailed to you. Enter the meeting room beginning at 12:45 pm (central time) on the day of the webinar.
Webinar abstract: Over the past century, fire suppression has facilitated broad ecological changes in the composition, structure, and function of fire-dependent landscapes throughout the eastern US, which are in decline. These changes have likely contributed mechanistically to the enhancement of habitat conditions that favor pathogen-carrying tick species, key wildlife hosts of ticks, and interactions that have fostered pathogen transmission among them and to humans. While the long-running paradigm for limiting human exposure to tick-borne diseases focuses responsibility on individual prevention, the continued expansion of medically important tick populations, increased incidence of tick-borne disease in humans, and emergence of novel tick-borne diseases highlights the need for additional approaches to stem this public health challenge. Another approach that has the potential to be a cost-effective and widely applied but that remains largely overlooked is the use of prescribed fire to ecologically restore degraded landscapes that favor ticks and pathogen transmission. We examine the ecological role of fire and its effects on ticks within the eastern United States, especially examining the life cycles of forest-dwelling ticks, shifts in regional-scale fire use over the past century, and the concept that frequent fire may have helped moderate tick populations and pathogen transmission prior to the so-called fire-suppression era that has characterized the past century. We explore mechanisms of how fire and ecological restoration can reduce ticks, the potential for incorporating the mechanisms into the broader strategy for managing ticks, and the challenges, limitations, and research needs of prescribed burning for tick reduction.

This webinar will include findings from the following publication: Gallagher, Michael R., Kreye, Jesse K., Machtinger, Erika T., Everland, Alexis, Schmidt, Nathaniel, and Skowronski, Nicholas S.. 2022. “ Can Restoration of Fire-Dependent Ecosystems Reduce Ticks and Tick-Borne Disease Prevalence in the Eastern United States?.” Ecological Applications 32( 7): e2637. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2637

Fueling Collaboration 3.0: Talking About Fire
2022-11-10 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Online, United States
Registration Required. Register here.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:
From building firelines to researching fire trends over time, fire management and science require great communication to be successful. Our panel will share their experiences and tips on how to effectively talk about fire to gain support and build a collaborative network. We’ll address your questions about fire science communication and discuss best practices for defining objectives, connecting with your audience, and tools/resources that can help along the way.

Fueling Collaboration is a series of interactive panel discussions designed to connect fire managers and researchers. Each discussion will be built on questions from the registered attendees. The interagency project team is working to bring people together to discuss, explore, and address the latest fire science and management issues across the eastern United States.

Partner Webinar: Seasonal Burning Effects on Plant Communities in Florida
2022-12-01 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Online, United States
When Burning Matters: Seasonal Effects on Plant Communities in Florida – Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 3-4pm ET
*Note: Rescheduled from a previous time. Correct date/time is Thursday, December 1st from 3:00 – 4:00 PM ET.*
Hosted by UF/IFAS Nature Knowledge
This month, Dr. Raelene Crandall, Fire Ecology Lab in the School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences at The University of Florida, will discuss the effects of burning during different seasons on plant populations and communities. Even if you are not a fire practitioner and just want to know why you occasionally see smoke, this program will provide general information about fire regimes in the southeast and highlight some benefits of using fire for land management and restoration.
Register here in advance to receive webinar link. See the attached flyer and feel free to distribute; this program is open to anyone at no cost, but pre-registration is required. Recordings of this program will be available online approximately 2 weeks after the webinar. Over 20 previous program recordings are currently available now.
The Nature Knowledge program hosts expert speakers to share current scientific knowledge on topics affecting nature in Florida, supported by UF/IFAS Natural Resources Extension and hosted by Shelly Johnson. This program provides continuing education for IFAS Extension personnel, volunteers, and program participants, college/university faculty and students from across Florida, natural resource professionals, and environmental educators.
Nature Knowledge_NOV2022 flyer

SFE Webinar: Strategic Burning with a Simple Prioritization Model
2022-12-08 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_spjT9CRuTciSj4QiFj7N1Q?fbclid=IwAR2yHrtCNOqC-kBPlWc571BwWKH8VdsQkrZD2jdwwfGshIXrotFMPFaGcec
SFE Webinar: Strategic Burning with a Simple Prioritization Model
Presented by Dr. Joe O’Brien, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station
December 8, 2022 @ 1:00-2:00 PM EST
Free Registration Here: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_spjT9CRuTciSj4QiFj7N1Q?fbclid=IwAR2yHrtCNOqC-kBPlWc571BwWKH8VdsQkrZD2jdwwfGshIXrotFMPFaGcec
Webinar description:
Increasing the pace and scale of prescribed fire treatments safely while meeting often conflicting management objectives can seem impossible. However, success can be achieved with a relatively straightforward strategy that leverages spatial data and a consensus on fire management priorities among stakeholders. We will use a simple but effective burn prioritization model developed for Oconee National Forest to demonstrate the approach and discuss tradeoffs that must necessarily occur when new priorities emerge. The method resulted in the near doubling of prescribed fire treatment efficiency at the Oconee and the approach is based on science, is transparent, and flexible.
Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.

Hosted by the Southern Fire Exchange in partnership with the USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station and the University of Florida.

Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.

Fueling Collaboration 3.0: Fire and Water
2022-12-15 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Online, United States
Hosted by the Fueling Collaboration 3.0 team of partners from the eastern US Fire Science Exchange Networks and the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station and Southern Research Station. Fueling Collaboration is a series of interactive panel discussions designed to connect fire managers and researchers. Each discussion will be built on questions from the registered attendees. The Fueling Collaboration 3.0 Team are working to bring people together to discuss, explore, and address the latest fire science and fire management issues across the eastern United States.More info here.
Fire and Water
Description: The changing climate is reshaping the balance of fire and water in eastern ecosystems. Drought alters soil structure and stability; combined with intense rainfall, this impacts hydrologic dynamics. This panel will explore the interconnections between fire, nutrient cycling, ecohydrology, and climate change.
Panel Moderated by: Stephanie Laseter, USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station
Panelists:
Steven Brantly, Ph.D., Joseph W. Jones Center at Ichauway
Kathy Hawes, MBA, Southeastern Partnership for Forests and Water
Randy Kolka, Ph.D., USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station
James Vose, Ph.D., USDA Forest Service Southern Research Station
Registration is required. Register here.

Partner Webinar: How States Can Better Budget for Wildfires
2022-12-15 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Online, United States
Government officials and Pew experts will discuss key issues and findings from a new report
December 15, 2022 from 2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET
Hosted by: The PEW Charitable Trusts
On Thursday, Dec. 15, The Pew Charitable Trusts will host leaders from federal and state agencies to deliver perspectives on the growing burden of wildfires on state budgets. The expert panel will build on the key findings and recommendations from a forthcoming Pew study, “Wildfires: Burning Through State Budgets.”
Wildfires in the United States have become more catastrophic and expensive in recent years, with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Forest Service nearly doubling their combined spending on wildfire management in the past decade. As more frequent and severe fires drive up public spending, policymakers at all levels of government are faced with decisions about how to pay for the diverse array of interventions required to deal with them.
During this event, practitioners from state forestry and budget agencies, as well as federal partners, will detail their experiences and provide insights on challenges and promising practices in addressing budgeting issues related to wildfire management.
For more information about this event, please contact Jimmy Einsiedler at jeinsiedler@pewtrusts.org.
Registration Required.

Partner Event: Fire Across Grasslands Panel Discussion
2023-01-11 11:00 - 12:30 (America/Chicago)
Fire Across the Grasslands – What Are We Managing For?
Grasslands in the Great Plains and Midwest are at constant risk from invasion by woody species. Conversion to deciduous woodlands and forests is already widespread in the Midwest and the southern Great Plains. This discussion focuses on the many ways that fire is essential to grasslands and the people who live there. Panel members will address:

the role of fire in resisting invasion by woody species;
managing reconstructed prairies;
promoting diverse plant communities and healthy wildlife populations; and
relevance to people from ranching communities to urban areas.

Panelists include:

Pauline Drobney – Prairie and Savanna Zone Biologist, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (retired)
Dwayne Elmore – Professor, Wildlife Extension Specialist, and Bollenbach Chair in Wildlife Biology in the Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management at Oklahoma State University
Matthew Garrett – Natural Resource Manager, Johnson County Park & Recreation District, Shawnee Mission, Kansas
Doug Spencer – State Grazing Specialist – Kansas, Natural Resource Conservation Service
Amy Symstad – Research Ecologist and Chief of the Climate and Land-use Branch for the USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

The sessions are hosted by the Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium and Great Plains Fire Science Exchange. They are facilitating these conversations to improve information flows and help connect people to colleagues and relevant experts outside of their usual circles.
Register here

Partner Webinar: The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System version 5.4
2023-01-18 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
EPA Tools & Resources Webinar:
The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System (version 5.4)
Wednesday, January 18, 2023
3-4 pm ET
The Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System is EPA’s premier modeling system for studying air pollution from global to local scales. For nearly a quarter century, EPA, states and tribes have used CMAQ to support air quality management. CMAQ is continually updated to incorporate new knowledge on the state-of-the science to provide a powerful computational tool for translating fundamental atmospheric science principles to policy scenarios. In October 2022, CMAQ version 5.4 (CMAQv5.4) was publicly released. CMAQv5.4 introduces the Community Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Multiphase Model (CRACMM), an innovative new approach to describe atmospheric chemistry. Other new features include an improved model for aerosol dry deposition and expanded options for modeling biogenic emissions. These advances target better representation of key environmental conditions important for polluted areas of the United States. CMAQv5.4 also offers improved efficiency and accuracy of CMAQ model extensions for calculating source attribution and sensitivity analyses, as well as updates to multiple diagnostic, visualization, and analysis tools for probing and evaluating model estimates. This presentation will provide an overview of the CMAQ modeling system and detail some of the major updates in the latest version of the model. More information and registration

SFE and SERPPAS Webinar: Understanding Successful Prescribed Fire MOU Agreements
2023-02-09 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
SFE & SERPPAS WEBINAR: UNDERSTANDING SUCCESSFUL PRESCRIBED FIRE MOU AGREEMENTS
FEB. 9TH @ 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
A free one-hour webinar from the University of Florida, SERPPAS, and the Southern Fire Exchange.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Tyler Carney, Doctoral Candidate, School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, University of Florida
Shan Cammack, Fire Management Officer, Georgia Dept. of Natural Resources
Webinar Description: This webinar will discuss the applications, benefits, and major components of memorandums of understanding (MOU) and other formal agreements developed to support organization-level prescribed fire programs. By examining these agreements through a collective action approach, it can be seen how these agreements may be used to increase acreage burned and overcome potential bureaucratic and economic barriers to implementing prescribed fire. The second part of the webinar will include a presentation and discussion by Shan Cammack about the Georgia DNR Interagency Burn Team MOU. The IBT MOU has been credited with increasing prescribed fire use in Georgia. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers. Check out the related research publication: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2022.100676
Registration Link: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d_7ZXqabR4iRTIJyaDoRqw
Webinar Partners: University of Florida, Southeastern Partnership for Planning and Sustainability (SERPPAS) and the Southern Fire Exchange.
Webinar Target Audience: Prescribed Fire Managers

Fueling Collaboration Webinar: Prescribed Fire in the Eastern WUI
2023-02-16 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Fueling Collaboration 3.0: Prescribed Burning in the Eastern WUI

February 16, 2023, 11:00AM – 12:30PM Eastern Time More and more natural resource managers in the eastern US are looking to use prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risk and manage ecosystems located in the WUI. Using prescribed fire in urban and suburban locations brings unique, intimidating challenges that can add to the complexity of a burn. In this panel discussion, we’ll highlight success stories, common themes, and lessons learned from prescribed fire programs in the WUI. This panel discussion counts for 1.5 Category 1 CFE’s by the Society of American Foresters. Register for the webinar here: https://www.fuelingcollab.com/register
Check out the entire Fueling Collaboration series

SFE Webinar: Prescribed Burning with Research and Training Objectives
2023-02-23 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
SFE WEBINAR: BURNING WITH RESEARCH AND TRAINING OBJECTIVES
FEB. 23RD @ 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
A free one-hour webinar from The Nature Conservancy in Florida, the Southern Fire Exchange, and the University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenter: Andy Rappe, Preserve Management Director, The Nature Conservancy in Florida
Webinar Description: For fire practitioners, a disconnect often exists with between research, training and controlled burn objectives. Too often, researchers are viewed at best as “curious non-producers” and at worst a liability that compromises safety and operational tempo. Likewise, trainees are often tightly controlled under multiple layers of overhead, which limits learning opportunities. The intent of this talk is to demonstrate how research and training can have a positive effect – and even serve as the catalyst for a successful fire program. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.
Registration Link: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_9ywyLgZqTqWDhx2l4NA1uQ
Webinar Partners: University of Florida, The Nature Conservancy in Florida, and the Southern Fire Exchange.
Webinar Target Audience: Prescribed Fire Managers, Land Managers, Researchers, Scientists, Graduate Students

USFS ScienceX Webinar - Fire History and Fire Ecology
2023-02-27 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
February 27 – March 3, 2023 1:00pm – 2:00pm ETStarting on February 27th and running through March 3rd, the USDA Forest Service Research and Development SCIENCEx webinar series will bring together scientists and land management experts to explore the latest in fire science. Registration is required. Individual program speakers and information provided below. For more information, visit the SCIENCEx webinar page
Monday, February 27 Fire history and fire ecologyIntroduction to SCIENCEx Fire Week, brief overview | Jens StevensIndigenous fire stewardship and cultural burning | Frank LakeFire exclusion and western forest change | Eric KnappA history of fire in the eastern US: How humans modified fire regimes through the Holocene | Dan Dey

USFS ScienceX Webinar - Fire Weather and Smoke
2023-02-28 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
February 27 – March 3, 2023 1:00pm – 2:00pm ETStarting on February 27th and running through March 3rd, the USDA Forest Service Research and Development SCIENCEx webinar series will bring together scientists and land management experts to explore the latest in fire science. Registration is required. Individual program speakers and information provided below. For more information, visit the SCIENCEx webinar page
Tuesday, February 28 Fire weather and smokeFire weather forecasting | Brian PotterNew technologies for monitoring smoke impacts | Shawn UrbanskiSmoke plume dynamics | Scott Goodrick

SFE Webinar: The Original Firebird - Bobwhite Management in the Southeast
2023-03-01 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
SFE WEBINAR: THE ORIGINAL FIREBIRD – BOBWHITE MANAGEMENT IN THE SOUTHEAST
MAR. 1ST @ 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
A free one-hour webinar from Tall Timbers Research Station, the Southern Fire Exchange, and the University of Florida.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenter:
Dr. Bradley Kubecka, WPQP Director, Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy
Webinar Description: Bobwhite quail are a species of conservation concern that are dependent on frequent prescribed fire in the southeastern U.S. This presentation will describe basic bobwhite life history characteristics and how prescribed fire influences bobwhite populations. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.
Registration Link: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_WVfotA2nS6qT3wVTHtq82w
Webinar Partners: University of Florida, Tall Timbers Research Station, and the Southern Fire Exchange.
Webinar Target Audience: Prescribed Fire Managers, Private Landowners, Biologists, Wildlife Biologists, Hunters, Public

USFS ScienceX Webinar - Fire Behavior
2023-03-01 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
February 27 – March 3, 2023 1:00pm – 2:00pm ETStarting on February 27th and running through March 3rd, the USDA Forest Service Research and Development SCIENCEx webinar series will bring together scientists and land management experts to explore the latest in fire science. Registration is required. Individual program speakers and information provided below. For more information, visit the SCIENCEx webinar page.
Wednesday, March 1 Fire behaviorWildland fire behavior and ignition | Sara McAllister3D, time dependent, fire behavior models: What they do and the need for observational datasets | Ruddy MellFire Behavior Assessment Team (FBAT) and wildfire monitoring | Matt Dickinson
