Prescribed burns restoring National Forests in Arkansas and Oklahoma to health
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
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
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
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
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, mechanical thinning, energy
PODs User Community escalates multiagency engagement in pre-fire planning
COLORADO – Wildfire is becoming more frequent and intense across the country, and fire planning and management professionals are increasingly strained. Forest Service scientists develop tools and processes that can be used across boundaries to prepare for and respond to wildfire, such as Potential Operational Delineations and the Risk Management Assistance Dashboard. However, these tools require…