August 27, 2014: A panel perspective on regeneration in Southwest pine forests after high severity wildfire

Panelists: Pete Fulé – Northern Arizona University, Collin Haffey – USGS Jemez Field Station, José Iniguez and Suzanne Owen – USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Jim Youtz – USFS Southwestern Region, Joy Mast – Carthage College The Southwest Fire Science Consortium is hosting a panel discussion on regeneration of pine forests after high severity wildfires. …

June 11, 2014: People, fire, and insects: Three centuries of disturbance interactions along an ecological gradient of the Pinaleño Mountains, Arizona

Presenter: Kit O’Connor, University of Arizona In the Pinaleño Mountains of Southeast Arizona, a series of high-severity insect outbreaks and fires in recent decades appear to be unprecedented in the historical record.  These disturbances raise concerns about forest resilience and long-term sustainability of one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in the southwest.  We used …

A post-fire ponderosa pine seedling

February 2014: Fostering resilience in Southwestern ecosystems: A problem solving workshop

Fostering resilience in Southwestern ecosystems: A problem solving workshop Ecosystems and fire regimes are moving into new domains as a consequence of climate change, disturbance, and other causes. Fire professionals and land managers in the region are confronted with new fire regimes, fire effects, and ecosystem recovery trajectories following disturbance. To help fire and ecosystem …

November 25, 2013: The Role of Fire in Shortgrass Rangelands

Presenter: David Augustine, USDA-ARS Landscape Ecologist In this webinar, we will discuss research on the role and use of prescribed fire in the western Great Plains, focusing on studies conducted in the shortgrass steppe of Colorado over the past decade. We will discuss the fuel loads and weather conditions under which prescribed burning has been …

November 12, 2013: Fire Legacy’s role in current and future fire management in the Southwestern U.S.

Presenter: Tessa Nicolet, USFS Region 3 Fire Ecologist The southwestern United States encompasses many ecosystems with intimate and inseparable relationships with fire. It is well accepted that fire plays an integral role in the ecology and maintenance of many forest and grassland types in the southwest. Fire on these landscapes not only shapes how those …

Fuel Treatment Longevity

There are several ways to evaluate fuel treatment effectiveness: observations, case studies, mathematical models, and empirical studies. Within these four categories, there are several methods that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of fuel treatments both immediately after treatment and over time. This paper summarizes the goals, effects, and advantages of various treatment actions; …

SW Mixed Conifer Forests: Evaluating Reference Conditions to Guide Fuel Treatments

This working paper covers three topics to guide treatments in mixed-conifer forests of the Southwest: 1) describes the current knowledge of mixed-conifer historical reference conditions for fire regimes, stand structure, and species composition in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico and adjacent areas); 2) provides field diagnostics to assess reference conditions; and 3) offers land managers …

The Fire Laboratory: Forest Restoration on the Gila

Vast stands of ponderosa pine stretch across the Gila National Forest, a testament to the role of fire in this corner of the Southwest. For decades, fire managers on the Gila have been reintroducing fire back on to the landscape. This video introduces some of the people behind the story of fire on the Gila National Forest.

Click here for accompanying  “The Fire Laboratory” write up containing more detail.


December 9, 2012: Synthesis of Knowledge of Extreme Fire Behavior for Fire Managers

Presenter: Paul Werth Extreme fire behavior indicates a level of fire behavior characteristics that ordinarily precludes methods of direct control action. One or more of the following is usually involved: high rate of spread, prolific crowning/spotting, presence of fire whirls, and strong convection column. This webinar will summarize the recent JFSP publication  that connects the …