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A West-Wide Rangeland Fuel Assessment: Reading the Tea Leaves

A headshot of Matt Reeves in a spiffy suit.

 

In this monthly recorded series, Dr. Matt Reeves - an RMRS Research Ecologist specializing in remote sensing and ecological modeling -  will analyze current rangeland fuel conditions across the west, with emphasis on emerging hotspots. New episodes will be posted on the first Monday of every month and more frequently as the summer progresses.

Projections are based on Reeves' Fuelcasting system, a new program that provides projections of expected fuel conditions this grazing season. It is an important component of the Rangeland Production Monitoring System.

 

Click here to sign up for the Reading the Teal Leaves mailing list.

A map of the western United States titled FuelCast, with inset pictures of grassland and a fire. The map shows fuel projections from decrease (red) to increase (blue), with hotspots in purple.
A FuelCast map of fuel projections and hotspots across the western United States.

2022 Episodes

April 15, 2022 - Special Edition - Fires in the SW: We Saw This Coming

 

April 12, 2022 - Doubling Down Season 3 Episode 2

 

March 1, 2022 - The Great Reversal Season 3 Episode 1

 

2021 Episodes

June 3, 2021 - A special live edition of Reading the Tea Leaves with Dr. Dan McEvoy, Regional Climatologist, Western Regional Climate Center, and Iric Burden, Range/Weeds/Botany Program Manager, Kaibab National Forest

A West–Wide Special Edition of Rangeland Fuel Assessment: Uncharted Territory from Forest Service on Vimeo.

 

May 31, 2021

Western US in Unchartered Territory from Forest Service on Vimeo.

 

May 3, 2021

82% of US Rangelands Projected to Experience Reduced Yields of Fuel and Forage from Forest Service on Vimeo.

 

March 8, 2021

California Drought Reducing Fuel and Forage on Rangelands - 2021 - Season 2 Episode 1 from Forest Service on Vimeo.

 

2020 Episodes will be available soon

2020 sessions were recorded through Microsoft Teams, but you do not need a Teams account or software to watch! To view a recording, click on a link below, then "Watch on the Web Instead" and "Join Anonymously." Closed captions are available.

Dates: 
March 1, 2022 to October 1, 2022
Contacts: 
Reeves, Matt C.
Research Topics: 
Ecology, Ecosystems, & Environment; Ecology; Landscape ecology; Fire; Fire ecology; Inventory, Monitoring, & Analysis; Monitoring; Resource inventory; Natural Resource Management & Use; Landscape management; Range management & grazing; Wildlife and Fish; Habitat management; Mammals
National Strategic Program Areas: 
Inventory and Monitoring; Resource Management and Use; Wildland Fire and Fuels
National Priority Research Areas: 
Forest Disturbances; Localized Needs
RMRS Science Program Areas: 
Human Dimensions
RMRS Strategic Priorities: 
Fire Sciences; Inventory & Monitoring; Resilient Landscapes
Geography: 
National; Northern Region (R1); Intermountain Region (R4)
Keywords: 
rangeland; fuelcasting; Rangeland Production Monitoring Service; grazing