Using Climate Information for Risk Mitigation and Objective Achievement in Managed Fire

April  19,  2011

Considerable evidence exists that climate impacts wildfires and that climate change will continue to provide challenges for fire management. For fire managers, a key step in meeting those challenges is to identify ways to utilize climate information in order to both mitigate risks associated with wildfires and achieve objectives for landscape-scale fire management. Crystal Kolden, an assistant research professor with the University of Idaho, will focus specifically on delineating the types of climate information that are available to be integrated into fire management planning, particularly for prescribed fire. Climate information can help fire managers achieve long-term ecosystem restoration goals, meet the objectives of both their fire management plans and agency-mandated treatment targets, take advantage of windows of opportunity for managed fire, and successfully mitigate risks and avoid catastrophic events such as escaped prescribed fires. This webinar was hosted by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (http://wildfirelessons.net), the Joint Fire Science Program (http://www.firescience.gov/), and the International Association of Wildland Fire (http://www.iawfonline.org/).