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Where emergency response runs deep

Public Information Officer MaryGrace Bedwell pictured on graphic designed like trading card. Play button on bottom left tells people to hear her story.
For most of the year, Lynne Chastain-Carpenter, MaryGrace Bedwell and Tray Hall work in different parts of the Forest Service with responsibilities that typically have little connection to fire suppression.But when called, they leave their day jobs behind to head to a wildfire where their specialized emergency response skills are needed. They are among the 10,000 Forest Service employees who are…
#FirePreparedness, #Fire, #Wildfire, #Firefighters

Caring for the land after the fire

A person planting a new tree seedling next to a burnt tree from an older forest fire.
Not long ago, these hillsides were completely blackened. Trees stood scorched. Now early spring grasses cover the ground, bringing new growth to the charred remains of a 2024 wildfire that swept through more than 240,000 acres on the Boise National Forest in Idaho.Why we do this“It was a significant wildfire season for us. During the summer of 2024, we had a total of about 65 total fires. The…
#Fire, #Wildfire, #Hazards, #ForestFire, #WildlandFirefighters, #FirefighterSafety, #ForestEconomics

Invitation to the Interagency Wildland Fire Retardant Reporting System

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You have been invited to access the Interagency Wildland Fire Retardant Reporting System. The invitation sent to you is temporary. Follow these steps below to gain access: Step 1 – Locate and accept Invitation EmailYou will receive an invitation from no-reply@sharepointonline.com titled “[Name of Admin] has invited you to Interagency Wildland Fire Retardant Intrusion Reporting System” at the…
#Wildfire, #NaturalResources, #WildlandFirefighters, #Aviation, #Environment, #Water

Building wildfire resilience in southern Colorado

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In southern Colorado’s Conejos and Huerfano counties, the threat of wildfire is more than a seasonal hazard—it’s part of daily life for the people who live, work and explore these landscapes. After years of destructive fires across Colorado, including the unforgettable 2018 Spring Creek Fire, community members have seen firsthand how quickly wildfire can upend lives, damage property, disrupt…
#Fire, #WildfireRecovery, #Wildfire

Step by step: Forests of the future

Image shows a firefighter in safety gear applying prescribed fire in a pine forest.
Forests in the West used to be a lot more open, so wildfires were much less severe. How do we know? By looking at tree rings! We can actually see scars from old wildfires in cross-sections like this one. By cross-dating fire scars from multiple trees, scientists can reconstruct what past forests looked like including how dense forests were. (Forest Service video by Erika Reiter)Near the community…
#PrescribedFire, #Dendrochronology, #Fire, #FireScience, #Thinning, #WildfirePrevention, #FirePrevention, #Planning, #Wildfire

Integrating Watershed Restoration in Wildfire Management: Opportunities, Approaches, and Examples

cover of a publication that features an aerial view of a wetland surrounded by forest

This publication summarizes new techniques in watershed restoration, known as process-based restoration, that improve wildfire management and support the Active Forest Management Strategy, the Executive Order 14225, and the agency's multiple-use mandate.

#Water, #Watershed, #Wildfire, #WildfireRecovery, #Restoration, #Reforestation