World Wood Day Foundation and International Wood Culture Society (IWCS) are honored to work with Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS), to present a series of videos: Fire in the West.
 
In the last few decades, wildfires in the west have become an increasing problem for the USA. Through presentations and discussions with experienced researchers, we would like to open a conversation to the public about how and why wildfires occur and hope to bring more awareness and understanding about them. 

In this video, we have invited Dr. Mark A. Finney, Research Forester with Rocky Mountain Research Station (RMRS) and Jessica Brewen, Science Delivery specialist with RMRS. Hosted by Steve Ambrose, retired Forest Service employee and now volunteer for IWCS, this presentation and discussion focuses on changes of fire management in the western US and more. 

Outlines:

Presentation by RMRS Research Forester: Dr. Mark A. Finney- 
Changing Fire Management in the Western US
# The increasing of wildland fire impacts has been attracting attention from various aspects, but mostly focused on suppression.   
# We need to understand how we got here today if we want to find solutions.
# Most of the money spent for wildland fire in the US is for suppression, but we are still seeing more and larger fires.
# Examples of settlement era fires (1800’s – early 1900’s).
# The 1910 fires in Idaho and Montana transformed US wildfire policy.
# How do we compare the old fires to recent ones? Do we always have big fires but just didn’t notice them? How do we change them?
# Examples of old forest sustained repeated fires around 1900’s.
# Characteristics of historical fires at low-mid elevations.
# Comparison of the same area between 1900’s to now. Suppression doesn’t reduce fires, but delay them, and bring larger ones.
# Europe Forestry of fire suppression/control methods were brought to the US after 1910. 
# 10 AM policy put in effect in 1935. 
# Suppression after 100 years – result? Consequences? 
# Examples from Colorado and giant sequoia.
# Objectives for fire management.
# Importance of communication to the public.
# Changes of fire management policy over the years.
# Fire itself is an irreplaceable tool, thinning and logging might help, but not sufficient. 
# Comparison between forests with prescribed burns and with thinning/logging only.
# Comparison between forests and wildfires in the west and south of the US.
# Obstacles to advancing agency fire practices – culture!
 
Group discussion: Q&A 
# Smokey Bear Campaign is essential but we also need more. 
# We need better messages conveyed through the media.   
# Illusions of control.
# Changes and differences of fire control in Europe.
# Pile burning for private lands isn’t equal to prescribed burning.
# Climate change has brought more extreme conditions to help severe fires, but prescribed burns are still effective under this circumstance. 
# Reason why the South-East USA is doing better with prescribed fires.  
# The system is restraining the execution of better fire management.
# Changes for the let burn policy.
# Why we are having a more continuous landscape now than before.
# Prescribed fires need to be executed on larger scales, managing the landscape.
# Remove the fuels before conditions occur. Use the fire to help us, instead of waiting for one.

More information about Wildland Fire Management Strategy:
https://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/strategy/thestrategy.shtml

More information about RMRS and Fire Fuel & Smoke Program:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/
https://www.fs.usda.gov/rmrs/science-program-areas/fire-fuel-and-smoke

More questions? Contact our presenters!
https://www.fs.fed.us/research/people/profile.php?alias=mfinney

Smokey Bear Campaign
https://smokeybear.com/en/smokeys-history/about-the-campaign