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Aerial Ignition Academy trains drone pilots, reduces risk to employees [VIDEO]

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WASHINGTON, DC—The Forest Service is committed to its values and places highest importance on employee safety. That’s why we’re using unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, to reduce risk for Forest Service firefighters, land managers and aviation assets. “We’re talking about a new tool that we can introduce in the conversation on risk management,” said Dirk Giles, national UAS program…
#Drones, #PrescribedFire

Prescribed burns restoring National Forests in Arkansas and Oklahoma to health

Prescribed fire burns the understory in a forest
Tufts of smoke from prescribed fires on the Ouachita and Ozark-St. Francis National Forests can be seen from a NOAA satellite image across Northwest Arkansas and East Oklahoma. When conducting prescribed burns wind direction is just one of many critical factors fire personnel consider to limit…
#PrescribedFire, #SharedStewardship, #ControlledBurn, #FuelReduction

Reducing Wildfire Risk and Improving Wildlife Habitat

 A Forest Service firefighter monitors prescribed burning next to a road
Editor’s note: The Forest Service’s Southern Region uses prescribed fire to annually treat about 1.2 million acres on national forests and grasslands from Texas east to Virginia and south to Florida. Prescribed fire, or intentionally burning vegetation, reduces wildlife risks, improves timber stands, restores and enhances native plant and wildlife species, and protects water quality for thousands…
#PrescribedFire, #WildfireRecovery, wildlife habitat

Prescribed fire science: Why it’s needed now more than ever

A picture of a Forest worker using a drip torch to start a prescribed fire to treat a forest area.
Editor’s note: The USDA Forest Service recently announced a 10-year strategy to confront the wildfire crisis and improve forest resilience. Increasing fuels treatments will be paramount to create healthier forests and reduce wildfire risk to communities. The Forest Service’s Southern Research Station routinely researches the science of prescribed fire and why it’s needed now more than ever.Much…
#Fire, #PrescribedFire, #FireScience, #FireTechnology

Fuels treatments critical to wildfire management

Aerial view of the dry hillsides of Asotin, Washington
Widespread thunderstorms delivered lightning without precipitation to the dry hillsides surrounding Asotin, Wash. (USDA Forest Service/Umatilla National Forest) Editor’s note: The USDA Forest Service recently announced a 10-year strategy to confront the wildfire crisis and improve forest resilience. The…
#Wildfire, Fuels Treatment, #ForestHealth, #Safety, #PrescribedFire, #EmergencyResponse, #FireManagement, #WildfireCrisisStrategy, #WildfireCrisis

Picking up sticks: Fire Resilient Landscapes and the public good

A picture of a large area in flames from a wildfire.
Editor's note: The Innovative Finance for National Forests grant program supports partner organizations developing out of the box financial solutions to some of forest management’s most vexing challenges. One partner, Wisewood Energy is focused on reducing small woody materials on the forest floor and how it could mitigate extreme wildfires, improve forest health and provide benefits to…
#PrescribedFire, #Biomass, #MechanicalThinning, #Energy