One of the real problems land managers encounter when they work in areas with old-growth trees is the possibility that prescribed burns—a recommended and useful restoration technique, especially when proceeded by mechanical thinning—may kill or seriously injure these biologically and socially important trees. This tricky situation developed in part because decades of fire suppression have …
In a nutshell: A researcher examines trends in the largest fires in the Southwest of 2022, and a meteorologist explores the fire season outlook and expectations for fire weather behavior in 2023. Description: Join the SWFSC for a webinar reviewing last year’s fires and looking ahead toward fire conditions for this year. Dr. Zander Evans …
Read more “Fire in the Southwest, Past and Present – Fire Season 2022 Overview and 2023 Outlook”
In a nutshell: Presenters discuss the reactions and resilience of two mesic and xeric species to climate variability in Saguaro National Park to consider what their adaptive patterns may look like under hotter and drier conditions in the near future. Recorded on: Tuesday, June 17, 2025 Description: At the upper elevations of Saguaro National Park, …
Presenter: Gail Drus, St. Francis University Increased wildfire has been observed with the displacement of native cottonwood-willow (Salix and Populus spp.) gallery forests by invasive, non-native tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) in desert riparian zones of North America. Greater post-fire recovery of Tamarix relative to native species suggests a Tamarix fire trajectory where repeated fire excludes native …
Read more “April 2, 2015: Tamarisk invasion and fire in Southwestern desert ecosystems”
A review of sources published between 2014-2024. Indigenous Peoples have used fire in their stewardship of Southwest landscapes for thousands of years. Understanding how, when, and why Indigenous Peoples have used fire can help keep southwestern ecosystems healthy and resilient. Research on cultural burning and Indigenous Fire Knowledge has often been conducted through extractive ways …
Read more “Southwest Indigenous Fire Stewardship Annotated Bibliography”
KEEPING COMMUNITIES RESILIENT TO WILDFIRE WITH NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS. A chipper day typically involves residents removing vegetation around their home and having the removed material chipped to reduce the risk of wildfire to their home and community. Coordinating vegetation removal between residents and local groups or organizations helps to maximize the impact of this work …
In a nutshell: Panelists present various viewpoints and examples of how landscape-scale management can be understood through investigation of a single species. View the recording for research reviews, case studies, and stories about tribal forestry, jaguars’ adaptability to changing conditions across borders, pollinator survival, bat conservation, and more to advance our understanding of fire and …
In February 2024, the Southwest Fire Science Consortium led a field trip in central Arizona to learn more about the dynamics between wildfire and invasive species in the Sonoran Desert. The field trip was focused on improving our collective understanding of how invasive grasses and forbs have altered the fire conditions in the Sonoran Desert …
The Wildfire Within: Firefighter perspectives on gender and leadership in wildland fire Date: January 10, 2018 12pm Mountain Presenter: Rachel Reimer, Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada This project utilized a feminist appreciative approach to Action Research to facilitate a conversation about gender and leadership within the British Columbia Wildfire Service (BCWS). The research question was, “How …
In a nutshell: Dr. Connor Crouch presents on three threats facing quaking aspen in the Southwest – climate, pests and disease, and livestock browse – and three management objectives and strategies that can be implemented to improve aspen resilience and adaptive capacity, leaving attendees with actionable suggestions for resource management. Recorded on: Wednesday, January 22, …