Feb 17 2014

Outcomes Assessment: Have we learned anything from JFSP-sponsored fire research in Alaska?

The Joint Fire Science Program is doing a nation-wide survey this spring (2014) to ask managers whether sponsored research in their respective regions has improved management decisions or is useful to fire management practices. We started thinking about this for Alaska and prepared a 2-page review of a sample of four projects dating back to 2002 to see whether they have had any impact on management in Alaska, and what their outcomes appear to be today. Principal investigators included Scott Rupp (UAF), Phil Higuera (University of Idaho), Dan Mann (UAF), and Teresa Hollingsworth (USFS-Fairbanks). Read our review and see if you think these projects were indeed worthwhile!

Nov 5 2012

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.)

View this document on Scribd

Can’t access the document above?

Download the full pdf here: http://www.firescience.gov/Digest/FSdigest14.pdf

Jul 23 2012

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.

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Jun 29 2012

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.

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Apr 30 2012

Tundra burning in Alaska: Rare events or harbinger of climate change? Join the Webinar!

The 2007 Uluksian Fire (photo courtesy of P. Higuera).

Dr. Philip Higuera (assistant professor at the College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho) will be joining us for a webinar on May 24, 2012 (1:00-2:00 pm AKDT) entitled “Tundra burning in Alaska: Rare event of harbinger of climate change?”. Philip’s current research is focused on how climate, vegetation, and human activities interact with fire occurrence and fire regimes (from across years to across millenia). He is also the Director of the Paleoecology and Fire Ecology Lab where students and researchers work on charcoal and pollen analysis in lake-sediment records, dendrochronology, and spatially-explicit modeling and analyses for areas in the US Rocky Mountains, Alaska, and abroad in Tasmania, Australia.

Link to recording <HERE>

Webinar at a Glance:

Dr. Philip Higuera will be presenting results from past and ongoing research focused on understanding the causes and consequences of tundra burning in the past, present, and future. The talk will integrate several lines of work, including reconstructing tundra fire history in the recent and distant past (2000-14,000 yr), quantifying relationships among modern climate, vegetation, and tundra burning, and anticipating future tundra burning given future climate scenarios.