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9th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress – Life with Fire: Prescriptions for Resilience

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Join the Southern Fire Exchange, the Fire Science Exchange Network, and others as we participate in this hybrid-virtual conference!

From the conference webpage:

The Association for Fire Ecology is excited to host this event with Tall Timbers at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, November 30 to December 4, 2021. The Fire Congress will offer an exciting blend of in-person and virtual learning opportunities for fire managers, natural resource professionals, policy and administrative leaders, and the academic and research community. It is shaping up to be a groundbreaking and meaningful event that we hope you will join either in person or virtually!

The Southern Fire Exchange, Tall Timbers, and other partners are helping to arrange for an exciting lineup of fire science field trips in the North Florida region. Confirmed field trips will visit Eglin Air Force Base, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, and Deer Lake State Park to learn about their prescribed fire management programs.

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NPR Story: Why the South is Decades Ahead of the West in Wildfire Prevention

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Our colleagues Dr. Morgan Varner (Tall Timbers Research Station) and Lenya Quinn-Davidson (University of California and WTREX) were featured in an NPR story comparing prescribed fire use in the Southern and Western US. The National Prescribed Fire Use Survey Report (pdf) shows that many Western US states are making progress towards increasing the use of prescribed fire. Looking for more information on how prescribed fire impacts wildfire in the South? Check out our fact sheets that summarize recent research here (pdf) and here (pdf).

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Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE)

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The FASMEE experiments are coordinated highly instrumented prescribed burns that involve multiple research teams simultaneously recording measurements of a wide range of characteristics related to the fires. Image: USDA Forest Service

The Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment (FASMEE) is a large collaborative, multifaceted fire research project that involves scientists from across the US, including many from the South. Our partners at the Tall Timbers Research Station Wildland Fire Science Program are heavily involved in FASMEE, with research on fire behavior, smoke dynamics, and fire effects. Be sure to read more about the FASMEE stand-replacement prescribed burns that were held at the Fishlake National Forest and Dixie National Forest over the past couple of years. Want to learn more? Check out the FASMEE media coverage, including the videos posted below and a story from Vice News. Check out this amazing view from inside one of the FASMEE prescribed stand-replacement burns!

USDA Forest Service video explaining the FASMEE project and some of the research teams involved.
An introduction to the FASMEE project and an overview of some of the research teams. Video by the Desert Research Institute
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Wildland Fire Entrapment Database and Map

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A new database and map provides a visual and spatial representation of wildland fire entrapments across the United States going back decades. Points on the map provide information about the date of the entrapment, the number of people involved, the type of entrapment, the equipment involved, and the number of fatalities (if any). The map points also provide links to accident reports with additional information. This sobering resource is an important reminder and opportunity to discuss the real hazards of wildland fire and strategies for promoting a culture of safety and learning.

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Joint Fire Science Program 2021 Funding Opportunity Notice

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The Joint Fire Science Program (which funds the Southern Fire Exchange through a cooperative agreement with the US Forest Service Southern Research Station) has announced the opening of the 2021 fire science funding opportunity. More information here. The JFSP FOA closes October 14, 2021.

JFSP Funding Opportunity Topics

Graduate Research Innovation (GRIN)
The Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) invites current master and doctoral students enrolled at colleges or universities within the US in the field of wildland fire and related physical, biological, and social sciences to apply for a Graduate Research Innovation (GRIN) award. The purpose of a GRIN award is to enhance student exposure to the management and policy relevance of their research to achieve beneficial outcomes of funded work.

Social and ecological recovery of communities impacted by wildfire
The objective of this task statement is to inform the development or improvement of strategies, tools, and resources used for post-fire community recovery, such that they facilitate recovery efforts that increase the resilience of social-ecological systems to future wildfires.

Collaborative development of ecosystem mapping products for fire and fuels management
To develop, using a collaborative framework, prototype mapping protocols and products that capture current ecosystem condition, desired condition, and departure from desired condition at spatial and temporal resolutions relevant to fire and fuels management decisions.

Regional Science Exchange and Outreach
The objective of this task statement is to solicit proposals to lead and execute a particular regional fire science exchange for a period of one to three years. The JFSP funds and provides oversight to a national collaborative of 15 regional wildland fire science exchanges: the Fire Science Exchange Network (FSEN). The FSEN provides the most relevant, current wildland fire science information to federal, state, local, tribal, and private stakeholders within ecologically similar regions. The FSEN brings fire, fuel, natural resource, and land managers, practitioners, and scientists together to address regional wildland fire management needs and challenges. Please see the JFSP website (https://www.firescience.gov) for additional information about the FSEN.

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Upcoming Wildfire Home Hardening Virtual Workshop with Dr. Steve Quarles

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On Thursday, August 12, 2021 2:30 PM – 4:00 PM ET, The University of Neveda “Living With Fire” Virtual Workshop Series will host a question and answer (Q&A) workshop with Dr. Steve Quarles, University of California Cooperative Extension Advisor Emeritus and the retired Chief Scientist for Wildfire and Durability, Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety Research Center. The Q&A session will be focused on home hardening, or building or retrofitting homes to withstand wildfire. For more information and to register.

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Videos Explore the Native Ground Cover of the Longleaf Pine Ecosystem

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A team from the Longleaf Alliance and the University of Clemson Cooperative Extension recently created a three-part video series exploring the native ground cover of the xeric longleaf pine ecosystem. These great videos explain how fire is an important tool for managing the diverse and interesting. Check out the videos, share them with your local landowners, and learn about this fire-dependent Southeastern ecosystem.

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NWS Tampa Florida Weather Workouts

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The National Weather Service office in Tampa, Florida has recently developed a series of short presentations that explore specific Florida weather topics. For fire and land managers in Florida, these “Weather Workouts” cover:

Sea Breeze Thunderstorms

Rip Currents

Hurricane Climatology and Flooding

Storm Surge and River Forecasting

NWS Online Tools and Services

Nws Damage Surveys and Forecast Models

El Nino, La Nina, Arctic Oscillation, and Super Fog

These short presentations may be useful additions to your next team meeting or RT-130 annual fireline refresher.

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