Tall Timbers hosts the Prescribed Fire Science Consortium

Kevin HiersConsortium group after a burnMore than seventy-five prescribed fire researchers and managers assembled at Tall Timbers April 16-22, for the annual 5-day Prescribed Fire Science Consortium Burn Event. Organized by Kevin Hiers and the Wildland Fire Research Program, the event provides fire researchers a common platform to conduct studies on smoke and fire behavior, which leads to greater efficiency, integration, and collaboration. Just as critical, prescribed fire managers from around the country are invited to share their research needs and discuss limitations to expanding the use of prescribed fire. This year, managers from New Jersey to Utah were exposed to cutting edge drone technologies, new fire behavior modeling tools, 3D fuel scans using LiDAR, and novel smoke research.

This effort is an innovative attempt to implement the concept of “co-production of science” by integrating managers and researchers into conversations about science needs, prescribed fire outcomes, and applications of emerging technologies. Funding through the USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station and the USFS Southern Research Station for this year’s effort resulted in 5 burns in 4 days, 15 hours of drone flights in smoke, and a comparison of 5 novel methods of the fire environment to traditional measures.

Kevin Hiers talking

3 Attendees

Photo Album

Album photos by David Godwin, Southern Fire Exchange Program and Outreach Coordinator

Photo Album

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