A recent panel discussion (Social Aspects of Wildfire Crisis Work) hosted by the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station covered a wide range of social science, communication, and fire-adapted communities concepts. While the conversation tended to have a Western U.S. theme, many of the discussion topics can be related to fire in the South. Social science and social aspects can be some of the most complicated, vexing, and challenging aspects of natural resource and wildland fire management. Check out the recording during your next lunch break! You’ll probably learn something.
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SFE Webinar Recording: Emerging Technologies in Wildland Fire
The recording of our February 29th webinar “Emerging Technologies in Wildland Fire” with Nathan Burmester from The Nature Conservancy North Carolina, is now on the SFE YouTube Channel. The webinar covered topics ranging from UAS (drones) to weather stations and thermal cameras. The chat was alive with tons of links to resources and products mentioned in the presentation. You can find all of those links in the notes on the YouTube recording.
Continue ReadingSFE Partners with DOD, USFS, and others on 2024 Fire Science Research Event
Earlier this month, the Southern Fire Exchange participated in a Department of Defense-supported fire science research event hosted by Fort Stewart near Hinesville, Georgia. Over two weeks, nearly 100 fire scientists, researchers, graduate students, fire managers, and organization representatives gathered at Fort Stewart to conduct fire science research on a series of three aerially ignited prescribed fires.
The event was co-led by the USDA Forest Service Eastern Innovation Landscape Network (EILN), of which SFE is a partner. This event was built on a 2022 fire science event hosted by Fort Stewart and featured in a series of Southern Fire Exchange videos produced by Mary Nell Armstrong.
Elliot Nauert with the Southern Fire Exchange and NC State University Extension led outreach efforts during the research campaign. Local television broadcast media (WTOC Channel 11), the local newspaper (Bryan County News), and the US Army produced stories covering the event. Look for more videos and products related to the 2024 Fort Stewart event in the coming weeks! In the meantime, check out some of the 360-degree videos captured by the SFE team.
Continue ReadingNorth Carolina Learn-and-Burn Opportunity
The Forest Stewards Guild is advertising a Learn-and-Burn this spring at Holmes Educational State Forest in North Carolina. These will be demonstration burns, where participants will be paired with a burn mentor who will talk through the process with them as the burn is conducted. This is a great next step in learning about fire behavior if you have not been a part of a prescribed burn yet. For more information, contact Dakota Wagner ([email protected]). Registration link: https://forms.gle/tZndVG21xXHmSQMs7
Continue ReadingWebinar Recording: Pine Savanna Restoration and Ecosystem Services
The recording of the recent SFE webinar “Pine Savanna Restoration and Ecosystem Services” is now available on the SFE YouTube Channel. The webinar featured a presentation and discussion led by Cinnamon Dixon, fire ecologist at Tall Timbers Research Station in Tallahassee, Florida. She gave a thorough and easy-to-understand description of a project that showed how prescribed fire, when used over time, can restore agricultural lands, and move former ag lands towards more “natural” reference conditions.
During the webinar, we shared many links and resources with participants. You can find those links below and on the YouTube Description.
- Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Program: https://talltimbers.org/fire-ecology-program/
- Research publication (pdf): https://www.srs.fs.usda.gov/pubs/ja/2021/ja_2021_ulyshen_002.pdf
- Publication home: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969721067917?via%3Dihub
- Research publication summary: https://talltimbers.org/articles/quail-management-provides-many-ecosystem-services/
Webinar Recording: A Prescribed Burners Guide to the Fire and Smoke Map
The recording of the recent SFE webinar “A Prescribed Burners Guide to the Fire and Smoke Map” is now available on the SFE YouTube Channel. The webinar featured an interactive demonstration of the USFS / EPA Fire and Smoke Map along with a discussion of how prescribed burners can utilize the map for smoke management.
During the webinar, we shared many links and resources with participants. You can find those links below and on the YouTube Description.
- AirNow.Gov https://www.airnow.gov
- AirNow.Gov Wildfires https://www.airnow.gov/wildfires/
- Fire and Smoke Map: https://fire.airnow.gov/
- 2020 National Emissions Inventory Technical Support Document: Fires https://www.epa.gov/system/files/docu…
- NWCG Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed Fire: https://www.nwcg.gov/publications/420-2
- Smoke Management Guidebook for Prescribed Burning in the Southern Region: https://southernfireexchange.org/smok…
- Basic Smoke Management Practices: https://efotg.sc.egov.usda.gov/refere…
- Basic Smoke Management Practices (SFE Fact Sheet): https://eadn-wc02-7111601.nxedge.io/w…
- Where there’s fire, there’s smoke: Air quality and prescribed burning in Florida (UF/IFAS Fact Sheet): https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication…
Partner Webinar: Overview of Prescribed Fire Liability in State Law with Sara Clark
When: Feb 1, 2024 1:30 PM ET
Hosted by: The Nature Conservancy and the Fire Learning Network.
In this 90-minute webinar, Sara Clark will provide an overview of prescribed fire liability in state law, including definitions of liability and how state laws defining liability interact with certified burn manager programs, tribal sovereignty and cultural burning, and prescribed fire insurance. Sara will provide examples from California and a selection of other states that have defined prescribed fire liability in state law, including an overview of the California Prescribed Fire Claims Fund Pilot that began operating in 2023. This webinar is intended for those who are new to the issue of prescribed fire liability or those more experienced who would like an overview of the subject, especially anyone about to engage on similar policy initiatives in their state or jurisdiction.
Sara Clark is a partner at the public interest law firm Shute, Mihaly, & Weinberger LLP based in San Francisco, California. Sara has worked extensively on prescribed fire liability, including an instrumental role in passage of California’s legislation defining gross negligence for suppression costs and establishment of the Prescribed Fire Claims Fund Pilot. She was a co-author of the Good Fire report for the Karuk Tribe, an analysis of barriers to the expansion of cultural burning and recommended solutions. Watch for Good Fire II in February 2024!
You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
Topic: Overview of Prescribed Fire Liability in State Law
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://tnc.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_GJOas2ICRB6dtH9Hg56Czw
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
SFE Webinar: Emerging Technologies in Wildland Fire
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenter:
Nathan Burmester, The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina
Webinar Description: Navigating the rapid advancements in technology can be challenging, especially for those immersed in the daily demands on the fireline. Join Nathan Burmester, representing TNC North Carolina, for a concise exploration of cutting-edge technologies employed by prescribed fire managers. Additionally, discover innovative applications of older technologies that are reshaping the landscape of fire management practices. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.
Webinar Recording: If you can’t make the webinar, look for the recording to be posted on the Southern Fire Exchange YouTube Webinar Archive.
Questions? [email protected]
SFE Webinar: Pine Savanna Restoration and Ecosystem Services
A free one hour webinar from Tall Timbers Research Station, the Southern Fire Exchange, and the University of Florida IFAS.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenter:
Cinnamon Dixon, Fire Ecologist, Tall Timbers Research Station
Webinar Description: It is expected that restoring southeastern pine savannas will boost ecosystem services. However, the success of this restoration depends on how well we can restore ecosystems and their services, the speed at which ecosystems are restored, and the tradeoffs between restored ecosystems and other typical land uses. In this presentation, we’re comparing the services provided by pine savannas at various stages of restoration with those from reference pine savannas, as well as other common land uses like row-crop agriculture, improved pasture, pine plantations, and unmanaged forests. This presentation will be of interest to anyone working to manage old field ecosystems in the South. Following the presentation there will be time for audience Q/A with the speaker.
Webinar Requirements: A reliable internet connection and speakers / headphones are required to participate. Webinar audio will be broadcast directly to your computer and may be available via a call-in number. See registration email for more details. Webinar participants do not need a microphone or video camera.
Webinar Recording: If you can’t make the webinar, look for the recording to be posted on the Southern Fire Exchange YouTube Webinar Archive.
Questions? [email protected]
Register for the webinar here: https://ufl.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__CRTsHZsSNuT2leFXvbfdA
Continue ReadingSFE Webinar: Prescribed Burners Guide to the Fire and Smoke Map
A free one-hour webinar from the USDA Forest Service, EPA, Coalition of Prescribed Fire Councils, the Southern Fire Exchange, and the University of Florida IFAS.
Society of American Foresters CFE Credit Expected.
Presenters:
Pete Lahm, USDA Forest Service
Sim Larkin, USDA Forest Service
Rick Gillam, US EPA Region 4
Webinar Description: Prescribed burners can efficiently utilize the EPA Fire and Smoke Map to enhance their burning practices. The map provides real-time information on fire and smoke conditions across different regions. Burners can use it to assess the current air quality and regional smoke movement. By incorporating this information, prescribed burners can strategically plan and time their burns to minimize the impact on air quality and public health. The map allows them to make informed decisions, ensuring safer and more effective prescribed burns while supporting compliance with environmental regulations. Following the presentations there will be time for audience Q/A with the speakers.
Webinar Recording: If you can’t make the webinar, look for the recording to be posted on the Southern Fire Exchange YouTube Webinar Archive.
Questions? [email protected]