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National and regional fire weather dynamics. (Heilman) NORTH CENTRAL RESEARCH STATION. A.1 Weather forecasting models are needed that allow for more accurate prediction of fire weather conditions and smoke transport and dispersion. Existing weather models have not been systematically applied to forecasting fire weather conditions. Scientists in a regional consortium are developing improved forecasts of fire weather and smoke transport to improve firefighting capability and fire preparedness. This is one of several coordinated projects looking at predicting and modeling fire weather. Assessing vulnerability of populations to wildfire in the North Central Region. (Haight) NORTH CENTRAL RESEARCH STATION. A.2 Looking at fuel type, ignition sources, climate, and topography in relation to historical fire occurrence can provide insights into the vulnerability of different communities to wildfires today. Researchers are working to synthesize historical fire information to identify and map fire risk. By overlaying these fire risk maps with maps of population and housing density, managers can target fuel reduction and fire management resources where they are most needed. FIA pilot test of a fuel condition monitoring system. (May) NORTH CENTRAL RESEARCH STATION. A.3 No systematic measurements of forest fuel loading and fire potential across the U.S. are currently made. However, the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program of the Forest Service does conduct annual inventories of the nation's forests. A pilot test is currently under way to measure fuel loading during the course of conducting annual inventories. Such an approach will provide information critical for validating remotely sensed estimates of fuel loading, and it will provide the potential for a consistent national basis for gauging the effectiveness of fire and fuel management policies. A smoke modeling framework for real-time predictions. (Sandberg) PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.1 The Forest Service is now required to make better predictions of smoke movement and to track fire emissions to quantify the impacts of prescribed fire and wildfire on air quality. Researchers are designing and building a web-based prototype that will provide this information in real-time, so that managers and public officials can more effectively inform and warn people about impending impacts of smoke. This is one of several projects being conducted to understand and predict smoke movement in different environments. Estimating haze from prescribed and wildland fires. (Sandberg) PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.2 The Regional Haze Rule recognizes that some prescribed fires substitute for natural fires in ecosystems, and are therefore considered to be natural sources of visibility reduction. Researchers are measuring the natural and human-caused sources of regional haze and determining what visibility impacts can be expected from wildland fires – and prescribed fires needed to restore and sustain ecosystem function. This information will help to determine how the prescribed burning program will be affected by national visibility goals in the future. Seasonal prediction of national fire risks and impacts. (Neilson) PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.3 Better predictions of fire risks and fire impacts across the U.S. are needed. Researchers are producing maps linking weather conditions and fire occurrence since 1895 and using this information to develop 3- to 12-month fire forecasts. These long-range predictions will allow agencies to better anticipate firefighting needs, thus increasing fire preparedness. Fuel moisture mapping and combustion limits. (Sandberg) PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.4 Many types of fuels – such as shrubs, old stumps, duff, and moss layers – are not well represented in models currently used by fire managers to predict fire behavior and fire effects. Researchers are developing a new system to predict smoldering combustion and fuel moisture that better represents these types of fuels. The revised model will enable managers to make better predictions of fire danger and the opportunities for prescribed fire. Risks to fish and wildlife from wildfire and landscape treatments. (Lee) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.1 Debate continues over how to manage fish and wildlife resources on federal lands in light of disturbances such as wildfire. Resolving the debate will require information on how wildfires and treatments during and after fire affect these resources. Researchers are developing models that will enable managers to evaluate risks to fish and wildlife prior to making resource management decisions. An initial attack model for fire management planning. (Wiitala) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.2 The strategic planning system currently used in firefighting is based on 1970s technology and goals. Researchers are developing a new initial attack simulation model for wildfires, based on state-of-the-art technology, to replace the old system. The new model will assist fire managers in quickly exploring options and identifying with greater certainty the best levels of investment in fuels treatments, prevention, and initial attack programs. Fire behavior in live fuels. (Weise) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.3 Though wildfires occur in live vegetation, little fundamental research has been performed since the 1960s to understand the dynamics of fire ignition and spread in live fuels. Researchers will conduct laboratory and field-based experiments to better understand and model combustion processes in these fuels. Armed with this information, managers will be better able to anticipate fire risks. Real-time remote sensing of fire properties. (Riggan) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.4 Knowledge of the heat transfer process that occurs when wildfires burn can provide insight into how the fire will behave. Currently the ability to measure this energy release is limited to discrete instrument packages located on the ground. Researchers are evaluating the effectiveness of monitoring fire properties using instruments mounted on high-flying aircraft. These airborne measurements can be used to provide extensive descriptions of fire and help in developing improved fire behavior and fire effects models. Weather models for area coordination centers. (Fujioka) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. A.5 Accurate weather predictions are critical for firefighting and prescribed fire planning, especially in complex terrains where fires typically occur. Researchers are working to generate 1- to 84-day fire weather forecasts at a scale useable in fire operations planning. This work will be coordinated with work occurring at other regional weather modeling centers. Improving decisions for fuels treatment options. ( Jones ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. A.1 Managers face an enormous task in deciding which areas of fuels buildup will receive treatments to reduce fire risks, in what priority, and with what consequences. Researchers are using two types of modeling systems to help managers in scheduling fuels treatments to meet management objectives and quantify which tradeoffs are associated with choosing one type of fuels treatment over another. Real-time fire monitoring nationwide. ( Hao ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. A.2 Daily intelligence on fire locations and burned areas is compiled from ground surveys – and is not reported until the following day. Scientists are working on a nationwide fire monitoring system that will use satellite data to monitor active fires, fire severity, and smoke concentrations and dispersions and allow reporting of data with only a 2- to 4-hour delay. This real-time fire information can assist fire managers in developing fire attack strategies and making resource allocation decisions. New technology for monitoring smoke characteristics. (Hao) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. A.3 Particulates emitted by wildfires and prescribed fires can severely affect visibility and air quality and thus cause car accidents, airport and road closures, and public health problems. Researchers are developing mobile instruments for real-time measurements of particulate concentrations emitted by fires over a large area. This information will enable managers and public officials to assess and predict effects on visibility and air quality, allowing for better preparation for these events. This is one of several projects targeted at understanding and predicting smoke movement under different environmental conditions. Remote sensing, GIS and landscape assessment tools for fire management. ( Hardy ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. A.4 Good spatial data on fuels, fire potential, and values (such as structures at risk) would help managers make decisions during major fires. Researchers are providing spatial data compatible with existing fire behavior and fire effects models. This information will help managers more effectively assess fuel conditions and fire potential, map and model fire behavior, and rapidly assess burn severity and fire effects. Fire management strategies for wilderness and other protected areas. ( Parsons ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. A.5 Wilderness and similarly managed areas make up a significant proportion of all federal lands. Restoring fire as a natural ecological process is one of the management objectives for these areas, but achievement of that objective has been limited by fuels buildups, limited access, and air quality concerns. Research is targeted at better understanding natural fire regimes so that managers will be able to more effectively use fire as a tool in managing these areas. Prediction of fire weather and smoke impacts in the Southeast. (Achtemeier) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. A.1 Smoke from wildfires has adverse impacts on air quality, public health, and the safety of firefighters. Better weather prediction models will help reduce the impacts of smoke from fires, and researchers are working to develop such models for the Southeast. This information will be integrated into a national framework for modeling fire weather and smoke transport that will assist in firefighting nationwide. This is one of several regional projects looking at predicting and modeling fire weather. Trade-offs of alternative vegetation management strategies. (Prestemon) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. A.2 What are the relative costs and benefits of using various fuels reduction and fire suppression measures? Analytical tools for evaluating these trade-offs are not currently available at a regional scale, but scientists are developing statistical models to evaluate these trade-offs. Linking cost and benefit information to alternative vegetation management strategies will improve efficiency of potential fire management programs and policies. Establishing a wildland/urban interface research and technology transfer unit for the South. (Macie) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. A.3 With the steady rise of new homes in Southern forestlands, wildland firefighters and small-forest landowners need information and technology to deal with preventing, fighting, and mitigating fire in the wildland/urban interface. The Southern Research Station is establishing a center for fire prevention and pre-suppression information for federal, state, and local firefighting units in the South, especially those in the wildland/urban interface. The unit will also work with state forestry organizations to develop guidelines for small-forest landowners and homeowners to reduce the risk of wildfire destroying their homes at the interface. Long-range forecasting of fire season severity. (Wade) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. A.4 Assessing the severity of the upcoming fire season is a key to efficiently allocating fire suppression resources. Researchers are taking a new approach to improving fire season predictions by looking at the relationships between major climatic patterns and various environmental indicators of severe wildfire conditions. The information generated will help managers in wildfire preparedness efforts and will also be useful for the management of prescribed fires. This is one of an array of coordinated projects looking at predicting and modeling fire weather. Southern regional models for predicting smoke movement. (Achtemeier) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. A.5 During prescribed burning to reduce fuel loads, concerted efforts are made to loft smoke above nearby communities. However, sometimes the smoke plume collapses, and smoke reaches the ground level where it can increase the potential for automobile accidents. Researchers are working to develop better models of smoke movement that will help in predicting when these conditions are likely to occur, enabling fire managers to avoid or at least prepare for these situations. This is one of several projects conducted to understand and predict smoke movement in different environments.
Predicting spread of invasive species after fuels reduction treatments and postfire disturbance. (Lehmkuhl) PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. B.1 Efforts to reduce fuels before fires and restore vegetation after fires open the door for the spread of weeds. Weedy species in turn can crowd out native plants and negatively impact the ecosystem. Researchers are monitoring the effects of fuels reduction and restoration treatments on the spread of weeds to provide managers with information on the relative risks of choosing alternative vegetation treatments. This is one of a number of projects looking at the impact of disturbance on the spread of a variety of weedy species in different environments. Effectiveness of postfire emergency rehabilitation treatments in the West. (Beyers) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. B.1 Though expenditures for postfire rehabilitation (such as contour-felled logs, surface raking, and native grass seeding) have increased dramatically in recent years, there is little quantitative information on the effectiveness of these treatments in reducing sediment movement and water output from burned areas. Researchers are initiating studies to measure runoff and sediment production from watersheds receiving various emergency rehabilitation treatments. This information will help managers select emergency treatments most likely to be effective. Effects of wildfire, vegetation treatments, hydrology, and geomorphology on postfire erosion. ( Neary ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. B.1 Information on the water flow patterns and geology of sites is critical for assessing risks of postfire erosion and flooding, and for selecting postfire treatments that will mitigate these effects. Researchers are working to incorporate these factors into predictive models that will provide managers with better support for burned area emergency rehabilitation decisions. Native plant materials for restoration of sagebrush steppe and piñon-juniper communities. ( McArthur ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. B.2 Management objectives increasingly require burned areas to be restored using native plant species, but the availability of these species is low, and little information is available on which native species would work best. Scientists are working on identifying and characterizing native species' potential for use, and on developing practices for seed production and protocols for seed warehousing. This work will help ensure native seed supplies are available to land management agencies when needed. Dynamics of weed invasions and fire in the Northern Rockies. ( Markin ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. B.3 Extensive fires in recent years have left entire landscapes vulnerable to weed invasions that in turn dramatically alter fire regimes and negatively impact native plants and animals. Researchers are working to better understand the interactions between weeds and fire-impacted areas. This information will help managers anticipate and mitigate weedy species invasion. This is one of a number of projects examining the impact of disturbance on the spread of a variety of weedy species. Effects of wildfire and fire management options on invasive and exotic species and pathogens. ( Clancy ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. B.4 Wildfire, fuels reduction, and thinning treatments create conditions that encourage the establishment of weed species and may increase the susceptibility of trees to diseases. Interdisciplinary research is targeted at understanding the ecological, economic, and social consequences of wildfire and rehabilitation efforts on forest health. This information will be used in developing guidelines for postfire vegetation management. Factors affecting Great Basin watershed susceptibility to invasive plants. ( Chambers ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. B.5 The proliferation of fire-adapted species such as cheatgrass in the Great Basin is negatively impacting ecosystems by increasing fire frequency, intensity, and size. Researchers are examining which factors make ecosystems particularly susceptible to these invasions. This information will help develop management techniques that prevent initial invasions and curb expansions. This is one of a number of projects looking at the impact of disturbance on the spread of weedy species in different regions. Patterns of white pine regeneration after fire. ( Schoettle ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. B.6 White pine is an important species that regenerates after fire, helps in reducing soil erosion, and sets the stage for the development of commercially valuable forest types. White pine is also susceptible to white pine blister rust, which can kill seedlings and adult trees. Researchers are identifying and selecting sources of white pine seeds that display hardiness and resistance to the pathogen so they can be used in efforts to restore burned areas. The role of grassland fire in managing exotic and woody plants. ( Finch ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. B.7 Suppressing fire in grasslands enables woody plants to move in, causing shifts in plant and animal species composition. Researchers are looking at the effectiveness of tools such as prescribed fire in restoring and sustaining native grasslands and reducing the incursion of woody plants. This information will help managers identify effective management practices for maintaining grassland ecosystems.
Harvesting underutilized trees and forest undergrowth. (Hunt) FOREST PRODUCTS LAB. C.1 Forest fires frequently start and are rapidly spread in forest undergrowth consisting of small trees and other forest vegetation. Fire risk could be greatly decreased if this undergrowth was removed. Researchers are developing new processing methods to better utilize vegetation that adds to the fuel hazard. This may encourage the private sector to do thinning and clearing, thus removing some of the economic burden for fuels reduction from the federal government. Using small-diameter timber and cull for laminated building materials. (Hunt) FOREST PRODUCTS LAB. C.2 Removal of forest undergrowth can help sustain healthy forests. Much of this material is felled and left on the ground or chipped and burned. Researchers are developing marketable products from forest undergrowth and underutilized timber to encourage its harvest and use. Optimizing fuel reductions in time and space. (Crow) NORTH CENTRAL RESEARCH STATION. C.1 Changing land uses and fire suppression during the past century have greatly altered the frequency, intensity, extent, and severity of fire on the landscape. Researchers are using spatial models to better understand the effects of past and current land uses and fire suppression on fire regimes in the Great Lakes Region. Results will be used to develop guidelines for reducing fuel loads. Managing risk of fire on communities in the wildland/urban interface. (Gustafson) NORTH CENTRAL RESEARCH STATION. C.2 The relationships between land use practices and the occurrence and intensity of fires is not well understood. Researchers are working to improve a sophisticated model that allows study of the interactions between human activities, natural disturbances, and wildfire. The model can then be used to determine how changing conditions – such as forest growth, insect outbreaks, and nearby roads – affect fire ignition, spread, and intensity. Results will improve the ability to forecast risk to communities in the wildland/urban interface. Fuels and fire behavior in the Central Hardwoods. (Yaussy) NORTHEASTERN RESEARCH STATION. C.1 Oak-dominated forests are shifting to maple dominance because of fire suppression over many years. Prescribed fire and thinning treatments may restore oak dominance, but there is little information in the region on fuels, fire behavior, and fire weather to guide these efforts. An interdisciplinary team of scientists is developing models to understand how fire and thinning can best be used to restore these fire-dependent ecosystems. Ground-based support for mapping fuel and fire hazard. (Sandberg) PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. C.1 Knowledge about the condition of vegetation (fuels) is critical in assessing fire hazards and fire effects, but we know little about the amount, distribution, and arrangement of fuels. Researchers are developing techniques for monitoring and assessing fuels, mapping fuel characteristics, and validating fuels information using remote sensing. This information will enable managers to more effectively assess fire hazard conditions and take actions to reduce these hazards. Fuels reduction and forest restoration strategies that sustain key habitats in the interior Northwest. (Lehmkuhl) PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. C.2 Concerns about species that make their homes in mature forests – such as woodpeckers and the northern spotted owl – often lead to controversy over land management strategies. The effects of new fuels reduction treatments on these key species are not well understood. Researchers are gathering basic information on the habitat requirements for these species and the effects of alternative management treatments. This information will be used to design viable stand- and landscape-level treatments. Effects of fuels reductions on stream ecosystems. (Hunsaker) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. C.1 The use of prescribed fire in riparian areas is being debated, but little information exists on the effects of prescribed fire on stream ecosystems. Researchers will determine the magnitude and duration of effects from prescribed fire and mechanical treatments on the physical, chemical, and biological components of forest stream ecosystems. Results will help to guide managers in selection of fuels reduction treatments best suited for these sensitive zones. Alternatives to fire for fuels reduction in California shrublands within coniferous forest. (Powers) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. C.2 Use of prescribed fire to reduce fuel buildups can be problematic because of air quality concerns, problems with weed invasions after fire, and fire-induced loss of ecosystem carbon and soil nutrients. Researchers are examining a variety of fuels treatments that can serve as alternatives to fire in reducing fuel buildups, enhancing soil properties, and improving carbon storage. This information can help guide management decisions about fuel treatments. Fire-related erosive processes in Southwestern ecosystems. (Hubbert) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. C.3 The Southwest is prone to significant postfire soil erosion that has annually resulted in millions of dollars of damage and cleanup costs. Engineering works, such as debris basins and retention structures, are the primary tools used in sediment management. Researchers are looking at prescribed fire as a low-cost alternative to the current approach for sediment management. The work will result in guidelines for use of prescribed fire in sediment management. Effects of wildfire and fuels treatments on the California spotted owl. ( Keane ) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. C.4 The effect of fire and fuels reduction treatments on wildlife species is not well understood. This is of particular concern when wildlife habitat must be considered before management actions can be taken. Researchers are examining effects of fire and fuels treatments on the California spotted owl. Results will help managers make decisions about fuels reduction alternatives to achieve ecosystem goals while minimizing impacts on key species. Impacts of exotic weeds on fuel loading and fire regimes. (Shaw) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.1 The cycle of wildfires and annual weed invasion has altered millions of acres of Western shrublands and grasslands by reducing plant and animal diversity and increasing fire size and frequency. Scientists are quantifying effects of weedy species on native sagebrush plains. Results will provide managers with new tools and plant resources for re-establishing and protecting biological diversity. Impact of fuels management treatments on fire behavior and forest vegetation. ( Ferguson ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.2 Fuels management, forest growth, and forest health all interact in affecting fire behavior. Researchers are studying these interactions to examine the implications of forest vegetation structure on burn severity and succession after fire. Information from these studies will be integrated into existing fire modeling systems that managers can use to develop fuels management programs. Impact of fuels management treatments on forest soil erosion and production. ( Elliot ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.3 Soil erosion, soil compaction, soil productivity, and soil microbial processes play critical roles in forest health, and they can be impacted by fuels management treatments. Scientists are investigating the effects of fuels management treatments such as thinning, salvage logging, and prescribed fire on soil characteristics. The resulting information will be incorporated into computer models that can be used by managers to assist in fuels management decisions. Management alternatives for fire-dependent ecosystems in Colorado and the Black Hills. ( Joyce ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.4 Fire suppression and exclusion throughout the Central Rocky Mountains have resulted in conditions that make the risk of catastrophic fires likely. Researchers are gathering information on the types and methods of fuels reduction alternatives that would be best suited to treating these high fuel levels to restore a more natural mix of ecological conditions and reintroduce fire as a management tool. Guidelines for fuels management in Southwestern forests at the wildland/urban interface. ( Edminster ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.5 Efforts to reduce fuels in the forests of Arizona and New Mexico are being challenged because of unacceptable changes in forest character. Treatments that maintain forest productivity and health, sustain resource values, and are socially acceptable must be identified. Researchers are assessing effects of alternative fuels management treatments on forest characteristics to develop acceptable alternatives that still meet fuels reduction objectives. Restoration techniques in lodgepole pine forests. ( McCaughey ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.6 The mature condition of many stands of lodgepole pine makes them particularly vulnerable to catastrophic fire. Scientists are exploring the ecological and biological effects of prescribed fire on these stands in an effort to restore healthy stand structure and species composition. The research will result in recommendations on which fuels reduction treatments to use in achieving these goals. Use of remote sensing to examine disturbance effects. ( Lundquist ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.7 Forests impacted by insects and diseases are more susceptible to wildfires. Researchers are using satellite imagery to look at the impacts of these disturbances in determining the distribution of fire hazard and spread of wildfire. This information will be incorporated into an expert opinion model that can be used to help managers make operational decisions about management options. Riparian ecosystem dynamics in relation to fire in the Rocky Mountains. (Finch) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. C.8 Many stream ecosystems throughout the Rocky Mountains are undergoing vegetation changes caused by the absence of flooding and fire. These changes reduce the potential for these sites to house a variety of threatened, endangered and state-listed species. Researchers will measure populations of these animals in burned and unburned riparian areas in Montana and New Mexico. Results will supply guidance for restoring riparian zones to healthy conditions while achieving fuels reduction goals. Wildfire risk in the Eastern U.S. (McNulty) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. C.1 Fire behavior models currently used for assessing wildfire risk can be improved with additional remotely sensed vegetation data and regional modeling of woody vegetation growth. Researchers are working to gather this additional information to help managers identify areas of highest fire risk and to develop management options to reduce fuel loading in the future. Tradeoffs of fire and fuels management options: Herbicides. (Waldrop) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. C.2 Rapidly growing wildland/urban interface areas of the Piedmont and Southern Appalachians are at risk from fire because of dangerous fuel buildups, but use of prescribed fire to reduce fuel levels has been limited because of concerns about erosion, air quality, and fear of escaped fires. Building on continuing studies, researchers will look at the effectiveness of herbicides and herbicide/fire treatment effectiveness in managing these areas. Results will provide managers with a broader array of options for achieving management goals. Tradeoffs of fire and fuels management options: Mechanical methods. (Outcalt) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. C.3 Rapidly growing wildland/urban interface areas of the Coastal Plain in the Southern U.S. are at risk from fire because of dangerous fuel buildups, but use of prescribed fire to reduce fuel levels has been limited because of concerns about smoke, air quality, and escaped fires. Building on continuing studies, researchers will look at reducing fuel loads by mechanical means acceptable to homeowners. Results will provide managers with a broader array of options for achieving management goals. A system for mechanized fuels reduction at the wildland/urban interface. (Stanturf) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION.C.4 Rapid human population growth and the increasing extent of wildland/urban interface have made the use of prescribed fire as a fuels reduction tool nearly impossible in some areas. Researchers are developing an integrated system to manage fuel loads through mechanical means to treat urban woodlands in the South. This will provide managers with fuels reduction techniques that are both effective and socially acceptable. Fire and herbicide combinations to reduce fire intensity. (Wade) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. C.5 Fuels reduction efforts in Florida's industrial forests – often adjacent to wildland/urban interface areas – almost always involve the use of herbicides. However, there is a two-year lag time after herbicide application before fire danger is significantly reduced. Researchers are examining the effectiveness of a treatment that combines prescribed fire with herbicide treatments to reduce fuels buildup. This new treatment regime, if effective, could provide another option to managers for fuels reduction in this type of high-risk area.
Modeling responses to landscape treatments. (Dwyer) NORTH CENTRAL RESEARCH STATION. D.1 How acceptable to the public are different fire management treatments such as fuels reduction and restoration? And how do different social and biophysical settings affect acceptability? Researchers are examining the aesthetic and social acceptability of various forest management treatments. This information can help managers develop more effective strategies for communicating with the public about fuels reduction and restoration activities. Community partnerships. (Jakes) NORTH CENTRAL RESEARCH STATION. D.2 The vulnerability of wildland/urban interface communities to fire is a function of a variety of factors, including the community's organizational culture and the ability to coordinate with nearby communities. Researchers will gather information from communities that have been successful in disaster preparedness to identify which factors are critical to success and then develop models of community cooperation and partnerships. This information will help to increase the effectiveness of fire management programs in communities at risk from wildfire. Recreation and fire in the wildland/urban interface. (Chavez) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. D.1 Fires often have a large impact on recreation and tourism, including direct biophysical effects of fire on the landscape, and indirect effects caused by fire operations, fuel treatments, area closures, and other disruptions to daily life. Researchers will examine the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of local residents and area visitors affected by fire events. Results will help managers and people in wildland/urban interface communities work together to better manage these impacts. Firewise residential landscapes. (McPherson) PACIFIC SOUTHWEST RESEARCH STATION. D.2 The landscapes people create and manage around their homes influence the susceptibility of their residences to wildfire. Little research on "firewise" landscapes has taken into consideration the vegetation characteristics that homeowners may consider most important, such as beauty, shade, privacy, and wildlife habitat. Researchers are developing a set of alternative landscape designs that will enable homeowners to meet their personal landscape needs while still decreasing fire risk. Building consensus on fire management. ( Kent ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. D.1 Does providing additional information to people about fire management and postfire restoration efforts make the impacts more acceptable? Does it change people's preferences for alternative techniques? Scientists are studying the effects of information on people's perceptions and choices related to fire management techniques with the goal of improving two-way communication between the public and fire management agencies in reducing fire hazard. Preventing residential fire disasters at the wildland/urban interface. ( Cohen ) ROCKY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH STATION. D.2 News reports on fires often dramatically depict one house virtually untouched by fire standing among its completely ruined neighbors. What characteristics enable this one house to persist? Scientists are examining which specific home design factors contribute to home ignitions. This information is critical to the development of "firewise" homes and communities. Impact of wildfires on local economies. (Prestemon) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. D.1 Catastrophic wildfires take a large economic toll on communities, including property losses, decreased tourism, and even changes in the long-term structure of the local economy. Building upon experience gained in evaluating economic impacts of fires in Florida, researchers will evaluate economic impacts of fires in the Western U.S. Insight gained will help provide guidance for structuring federal assistance in the aftermath of catastrophic fires. Fire protection in residential expansion areas. (Haines) SOUTHERN RESEARCH STATION. D.2 The danger to homes adjacent to wildlands can be greatly reduced with public education and use of a good mix of programs, including land use zoning, fire-safe building codes, and vegetation management controls. Researchers are examining the wide range of regulatory, incentive-based, and educational programs currently used in fire-prone communities to identify their cost and effectiveness in mitigating fire hazards.
Last updated May 24, 2002
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