Fire in Alaska’s tundra ecosystems is getting more attention as a potentially important factor in climate change. A 5-yr US Arctic Research Program Plan just released by the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee specifically calls for investigating the frequency and severity of wildland fires in the Arctic. It mentions recent research findings from the 2007 Anaktuvuk River fire as well as the climate modeling work of SNAP and socio-economic impacts of climate change on Alaskan arctic communities. The IARPC reports to the President’s National Science and Technology Council Council who coordinates policy across agencies and set goals for Federal science and technology investments so their endorsement is potentially an important boost for researchers competing for funding. You can review the plan yourself at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/microsites/ostp/2013_arctic_research_plan.pdf
Did you miss this December Webinar? Video of “What is live fuel moisture: a new look at the combustion of living plants” is available for viewing!
Matt Jolly, PhD, from the USFS Fire, Fuel and Smoke Science Program, Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory presented the webinar on December 20th. You can watch it on YouTube thanks to the Great Lakes Region Fire Consortium at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAEYk2pEdJM
Live fuel moisture is measured frequently throughout the country as an indicator of potential fire behavior but little is known about the primary factors that drive their seasonal variations. Dr. Matt Jolly delves into the interactive factors that control live fuel moisture and discusses some of the potential implications of these factors on seasonal variations in the fire potential of living plants. He shows how the interactions between the water content of the foliage and seasonal changes in the leaf’s dry weight combine to influence calculated live fuel moisture and ultimately, its flammability.
Feb 25 Webinar on WIMS by the Alaska Fire Applications and Modeling Committee
Jan Passek, USFWS Fire Specialist, and Heidi Strader, Weather Forecaster from the Alaska Interagency Coordination Center will demonstrate how to input daily weather observations used to calculate Fire Danger using WIMS–the Forest Service Weather Information Management System! The Webinar is 1:30 p.m. AST on Monday, February 25th. Come join the webinar as we discuss: WIMS Roles and responsibilities, Access Control Lists- what are they, who controls them?, NFDRS, Firefamily Plus, Weather Detective skills and what to look for Monday mornings to ensure weekend weather is updated. Registration information is available from ayork@alaska.edu.
Link to recording <HERE>
Webinar Dec 20th- What is Live Fuel Moisture? A New Look at the Combustion of Live Plants

Image from Jennifer Barnes, National Park Service
Date: Thursday, December 20, 2012
Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM (AK Time)
Link to recording <HERE>
Presented by: Matt Jolly, PhD
Research Ecologist, USFS
Fire, Fuel and Smoke Science Program
Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory
Live fuel moisture is measured frequently throughout the country as an indicator of potential fire behavior but little is known about the primary factors that drive their seasonal variations. Dr. Matt Jolly will delve into the interactive factors that control live fuel moisture and will discuss some of the potential implications of these factors on seasonal variations in the fire potential of living plants. Ultimately, he will show how the interactions between the water content of the foliage and seasonal changes in the leaf’s dry weight combine to influence calculated live fuel moisture and its flammability.
Read more about Dr. Jolly’s work with living plants and fire and the Missoula Fire Sciences Lab.
Related Resources:
Foliar moisture content input in the Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction System for areas outside of Canada
Martin E. Alexander, 2010
Assessing the effect of foliar moisture on the spread rate of crown fires
Martin E. Alexander and Miguel G. Cruz, 2012
Join The Webinarr:
Click HERE to join this webinar (http://osu-pilot-conc.adobeconnect.com/dec202012/).
No pre-registration required. This link will be active at 9:45 am AK Time on Dec 20th. Select “Enter as a Guest” and provide your name where prompted to participate.
Smoke Science Plan: The Path Forward
The Joint Fire Science Program just published the September 2012 Issue of Fire Science Digest:
“Smoke Science Plan: The Path Forward”
Read it here. (Click the “Full Screen” button for the best viewing.)
Can’t access the document above?
Download the full pdf here: http://www.firescience.gov/Digest/FSdigest14.pdf
2012 Alaska Fire Science Workshop Presentations Now Posted!
All of the presentations, handouts, and recordings from the 2012 Alaska Fire Science Workshop are available for viewing/download <HERE>
Click on any of the topics below to watch the recording:
- Alaska Fuel Moisture Sampling: What’s the Trend?
- The Art of Fire Exhibit
- Atmospheric Dispersion of Alaska Wildfire Pollutants as Predicted by the WFR-Chem Model and Observations
- Decision Support Toolbox: How to Make the Most of the Tools Available to You
- Fire Effects on Seedling Establishment Success Across Treeline: Implications for Future Tree Migration and Flammability in a Changing Climate
- AWFCG Fire Research Development and Application Committee Update
- Identifying Priority Management Needs in the Northwestern Interior Forest: NWIF LCC Update
- Natural Disturbance in Alaska: Implications for Wildfire and Property Values on the Kenai Peninsula
- Northern Spruce Engraver Beetle Management: Beetle Responses to Slash and Fire
CNN Video – Laptops Used to Predict Wildfire Movement
Watch this video to see FSPro in action.
Direct Video Link: http://cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2012/07/03/ac-pkg-savidge-fire-predictions.cnn.html
Exhibit to Reveal ‘Art’ of Fire Science and Management
www.frames.gov/afsc/projects/art-of-fire
Fairbanks, Alaska—Nine local artists will unveil work of varied media inspired by fire, fire management and fire science at the exhibit opening of “In a Time of Change: The Art of Fire” at the Bear Gallery in Pioneer Park Aug. 3.
The First Friday opening will be 5-7 p.m. and the exhibit will be on display during gallery hours, noon-8 p.m. daily, through Sept. 3.
“The Art of Fire” is part of a larger collaborative effort led by the Bonanza Creek Long Term Ecological Research Station (LTER) to engage the arts, sciences and humanities in artistic exchanges regarding environmental issues, particularly climate change. Dubbing the network “In a Time of Change,” LTER has organized and helped fund similar events featuring visual, written and performance art in Fairbanks in recent years.
The Alaska Fire Science Consortium, a regional branch of a national fire science knowledge exchange network, saw “In a Time of Change” as an opportunity to bring new voices into conversations about fire science and management. AFSC partnered with LTER for “The Art of Fire” project, which focuses solely on visual artwork and is funded by the Joint Fire Science Program.
“This is really about building connections between the artistic talent we have in Fairbanks and managers and scientists throughout the state to promote awareness of fire and fire sciences in Alaska,” said Sarah Trainor, director of AFSC.
Potential Topics for JFSP 2013 Research Funding
This is the first time the Joint Fire Science Program has published a Notice of Intent with a list of possible topics before the official funding announcement.
Download the Notice of Intent
Notice of Intent
DOA/DOI Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) FY 13
Funding Opportunity Notice (FON)
Potential Topics for Fall JFSP FON
June 2012
The interagency Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) intends to request proposals through one or more formal FON announcements approximately October 1, 2012 through November 16, 2012. The intent of this notice is to provide an early alert to investigators interested in the topics listed here so that investigators can begin considering their interest in submitting a proposal(s), and can begin discussing responsive ideas with potential partners and collaborators.
Investigators should recognize that final decisions regarding topic selection will not be made until September, 2012, and that final topic selection is likely to differ from that posted here. One or more topics could be dropped or added, and the specific focus of individual topics may be altered. Investigators should recognize this uncertainty and not invest substantial time or resources working on proposals until the FONs are formally posted.
Investigators should not contact the Program Office or Governing Board seeking further information on these topics. No further information will be known or released until the FONs are formally posted.
PNW Ecotone: New podcast series highlights research in AK, OR and WA
The USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station has recently launched the new “PNW Ecotone” podcast series. These podcasts will cover the latest science findings, tools, and research topics from the 11 PNW laboratories and centers located in Alaska, Oregon and Washington.
Podcast episodes are available for download or streaming, along with photos, related articles, and transcripts at: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/podcasts


