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The WUI in the United States grew rapidly from 1990 to 2010 in terms of both number of new houses (from 30.8 to 43.4 million; 41% growth) and land area (from 581,000 to 770,000 km2; 33% growth), making it the fastest-growing land use type in the conterminous United States. The vast majority of new WUI areas were the result of new housing (97%), not related to an increase in wildland vegetation. Within the perimeter of recent wildfires (1990–2015), there were 286,000 houses in 2010, compared with 177,000 in 1990. Furthermore, WUI growth often results in more wildfire ignitions, putting more lives and houses at risk. Wildfire problems will not abate if recent housing growth trends continue.
This webinar describes:
- The long-term (17-26 year) post-fire accumulation in fuel loads and resultant potential fire behavior where historical prefire and immediate postfire data exists in Wyoming and Basin big sagebrush communities.
- Fuel loads accumulation and structure along a time-since-fire. chronosequence in Wyoming, mountain, and low sagebrush ecosystems
- The fuels and reburn potential in once and twice burned Basin big sagebrush plant communities.
- Plant community change 17 years post fire in Wyoming big sagebrush ecosystems.
Presented by: Lisa Ellsworth, Oregon State University.
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This webinar discusses how targeted grazing can reduce fuels to prevent wildfire in shrub-grasslands. Chris Schachtschneider, Eva Strand, and Scott Jensen, University of Idaho, present.
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To advance transformative solutions to this complex fire challenge, we propose four principles for conducting transdisciplinary fire research: (1) embrace complexity, (2) promote diverse ways of knowing fire, (3) foster transformative learning, and (4) practice problem-centered research. These principles emerged from our experience as a group of early-career researchers who are embedded within and motivated by today’s complex fire challenge within British Columbia (BC), Canada. In this forum piece, we first describe the four principles and then apply the principles to two case studies: (1) BC, a settler-colonial context experiencing increased size, severity, and impacts of wildfires, and (2) our ECR discussion group, a space of collective learning and transformation. In doing so, we present a unique contribution that builds on existing efforts to develop more holistic fire research frameworks and demonstrates how application of these principles can promote transdisciplinary research and transformation towards coexistence with fire, from local to global scales.
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The actions of residents in the wildland–urban interface can influence the private and social costs of wildfire. Wildfire programs that encourage residents to take action are often delivered without evidence of effects on behavior. Research from the field of behavioral science shows that simple, often low-cost changes to program design and delivery can influence socially desirable behaviors. In this research report, we highlight how behavioral science and experimental design may advance efforts to increase wildfire risk mitigation on private property. We offer an example in which we tested changes in outreach messaging on property owners’ interest in wildfire risk
information. In partnership with a regional wildfire organization, we mailed 4564 letters directing property owners to visit personalized wildfire risk webpages. By tracking visitation, we observed that 590 letter recipients (12%) sought information about their wildfire risk and response varied by community. This research–practice collaboration has three benefits: innovation in outreach, evidence of innovation through experimental design, and real impacts on interest in wildfire mitigation among property owners. Future collaborations may inform behavioral and evidence-based programs to better serve residents and the public interest as the risks from wildfires are projected to grow.
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Study findings include:
- From 2011-2017, the extent of conifer cover in sagebrush country decreased by 1.6%. Human management efforts are responsible for 2/3 of the total reduction; the other 1/3 is due to wildfires.
- Previous estimates suggest that conifer cover in sagebrush country is growing by 0.4%-1.5% annually, which means that our efforts are keeping pace with conifer encroachment but that more needs to be done.
- Public/private partnerships are successfully reducing conifers in highly targeted priority watersheds, such as in northwest Utah.
- The maps also show that woodlands are still expanding into many sagebrush landscapes. Continued partnership efforts are needed to strategically conserve priority shrublands.
Visit Colorado State University (CSU) course overview
The online Graduate Certificate in Communications for Conservation at Colorado State University offers conservation practitioners and communicators a holistic program for learning ideas, skills, and tools to communicate and engage with a wide range of public stakeholders, including media and communications specialists, decision-makers and thought leaders, other scientists, and everyday citizens.
Webinar recordings of the Forest Service’s Research and Development SCIENCEx FIRE week.
Fire History and Ecology
Introduction to SCIENCEx Fire Week | Jens Stevens
Indigenous Fire Stewardship and Cultural Burning | Frank Lake
Fire Exclusion and Western Forest Change | Eric Knapp
A History of Fire in the Eastern US: How Humans Modified Fire Regimes through the Holocene | Dan Dey
Check back for upcoming virtual workshop opportunities and curriculum materials.
Engage your students in hands-on activities to explore climate change and wildfire in the Southwest! This standards-aligned curriculum unit developed in coordination with the USDA Southwest Climate Hub uses experiments, games, demonstrations, and a group project to introduce students to how increased temperature and changes in precipitation affect wildfire risk in ecosystems. In this workshop, you will hear from an expert in the field, participate in a Q&A session, and then get training to implement these lessons in your classroom. Participating teachers will receive a $50 stipend and the opportunity to win raffle prizes.