Igniting the future: Technology on prescribed fire
Drones Complement Fire and Fuels Professionals
Along the foothills of the Big Belt Mountains near York, Montana, it’s unusual to see bare ground above 5,000 feet in February. But this winter’s low snowpack in the Northern Rockies created a rare chance to conduct prescribed burns. Prescribed burning is a planned fire used to make forests and grasslands healthier. Fire managers wait for the right conditions like weather and fuel conditions before they conduct a prescribed fire. They check weather patterns, such as wind, humidity, and...-
Wood forensic science
May 19,2026
From assisting with criminal cases and mid-air collisions to identifying wood species to combat illegal logging, the wood anatomy and forensic research done at the Forest Service's Forest Products -
Safer wood for safer buildings
May 19,2026
Fire testing is expensive and complex, which is why industry leaders look to the Forest Service for expertise. The Fire Lab at the USDA Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory conducts research -
Tiny wood particles can have a big benefit
May 19,2026
Research at the Forest Service's Forest Products Laboratory is finding new and innovative ways to transform these materials into nanocellulose products. From strengthening cement to extending shelf -
Making wood less tasty to pests
May 19,2026
From wood walls to fence posts, we enjoy the benefits of wood products. But there are insects and fungi who enjoy it for another purpose – as dinner. The Forest Service’s Forest Products Laboratory -
Along the foothills of the Big Belt Mountains near York, Montana, it’s unusual to see bare ground above 5,000 feet in February. But this winter’s low snowpack in the Northern Rockies created a rare
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Bulldozers of fire
April 30,2026
The Heavy Equipment of Firefighting Wildland firefighting is a coordinated effort. Like players on a sports team or musicians in an orchestra, hand crews, smokejumpers, water tenders, fire engines -
Operation Sky Hammer: Fighting fire in the Rockies
April 30,2026
When smoke begins to rise across the Rocky Mountains, a unique firefighting force lifts off—fast. Operation Sky Hammer was designed to improve success during initial attack on wildfires. The effort -
Smokejumper Spotter Academy: Training leaders in the sky
April 30,2026
Pick your favorite theme song and imagine it hits the loudspeakers. You suit up, load up and head out to the plane. After a 20-minute flight you are briefed about the jump spot and the fire behavior -
Ready for wildfire
April 30,2026
The warning signs flashed early this year. After a dismal winter snowpack across many western high elevations, forests are drying faster and by midsummer may be ripe for extreme fire conditions
