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DRIPTORCH DIGEST
A Newsletter for the Southern Prescribed Fire Community
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Welcome to the Driptorch Digest,
an online newsletter for the Southern prescribed fire community.
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to others who might be interested, and encourage them to sign up for their own subscription by clicking on the "subscribe" link at the bottom of this newsletter, or by subscribing to the
Southeast Prescribed Fire Update blog
to receive this newsletter as well as other occasional fire-related blog posts.
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Spotlight: Southeast Cohesive Fire Management Strategy Success Story
AmeriCorps Wildland Firefighter Training
Written by: Holly Campbell, Southern Regional Extension Forestry, Steve Hubner, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Jason Cangellsi, AmeriCorps NCCC
AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is a national service program for men and women between the ages of 18-24. The program aims to build leadership skills and strengthen communities by partnering to achieve community-based service projects.One skillset several volunteers are receiving at the Atlantic Region AmeriCorps campus is wildland firefighting training. The training provides valuable hands-on and team-building skills for volunteers while also fulfilling regional prescribed burn objectives and national wildfire needs. Since 2007, 410 AmeriCorps members have completed the program. Read more here.
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Docuseries is produced by Appian Way, Stone Village Television, and Original Pictures is being hosted on
Netflix.
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What Can the Southeastern
U.S.
Learn from the
2016 California Wildfire Season?
The correlation of climate change to wildfire continues to be researched and debated. The southeastern U.S. region has a strong focus on sea level rise relating to climate change. What lessons can be learned from the western states' 2016 fire season? Should the southeastern U.S place wildfire risk on par with sea level rise considerations?
On September 8, 2017 a new series of four 1-hour episodes of the docuseries, "Fire Chasers" will be released on Netflix. These videos focus on the California Forest Service dealing with the states increasingly longer wildfire season. The California wildfire season trend may be a foreshadowing of the Southeast's challenges ahead.
Read more here.
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Fire frequency effects on soil respiration
By Dr. Kevin Robertson, Fire Ecology Program Director
From Summer 2017 Tall Timbers eNews, Vol 10, No 3
"Soil respiration" is the term used to describe the release of
carbon dioxide (CO2)
from the soil to the
atmosphere as a result of respiration of living things in the soil, including plant roots, microscopic organisms, and burrowing animals. It is an important component
of global carbon cycles and helps us identify net sources and sinks of CO2, a greenhouse gas
, among different land uses and ecosystems. As part of his dissertation research through the University of Florida, David Godwin sought to determine the effects of fire return interval on soil respiration. Part of his study used the Stoddard Fire Plots, burne
d at different fire return intervals since 1960, on Tall Timbers' property.
Read more
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Prescribed Burn Association Updates
PBA Special Session at AFE Congress
There will be a special session on PBAs at the upcoming
Association for Fire Ecology Congress
in November. If you will be attending the Congress, be sure to attend this session!
North Carolina Prescribed Fire Council 2017 Annual Meeting
The 2017 NC Prescribed Fire Council annual meeting was held September 6-7 in Asheville, NC. The meeting was a joint effort with the Consortium of Appalachian Fire Managers and Scientists. This year's theme was "Advancing controlled burning after the 2016 historic wildfire season". Downloadable presentations can be found here.
Prescribed Burn Alliance of Texas
A Prescribed Fire Portal contains many resources and links to all eleven prescribed burn associations located in Texas. Key contact information, maps and websites are included as well.
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Prescribed Fire Council Updates
Many Prescribed Fire Councils have announced their annual meeting dates. Several links to more information are included in the "Upcoming Events" section of this newsletter. Or, check
on your state's website to find an event near you.
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 New Fire Science You Can Use
Depending on where you live in the South, you might be interested in following the work of either or both the Southern Fire Exchange (SFE) and the Consortium of Fire Managers & Scientists (CAFMS).
Written by David Godwin, Southern Fire Exchange
PB-Piedmont Online
The original smoke model designed for modeling smoke movement down drainages within the Piedmont region of the Southeast is now online thanks to the Desert Research Institute: https://cefa.dri.edu/PB_Piedmont/. In summary, the PB-Piedmont model serves as predictive tool for prescribed fire and wildfire and may be used to identify spatial patterns of:
- Hygroscopic particles embedded within low-level smoke trajectories,
- Surface drainage flows that serve as a steering mechanism for aforementioned particulates,
- Post sunset (and early morning) fog formation in association with smoldering combustion in accordance with weak surface wind speeds (< 5mph), sufficient radiational cooling, and overnight moisture recovery.
The ability to make such predictions is useful for determining whether smoke from a prescribed burn will cause problems on local roadways.
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Longleaf Implementation Team & Longleaf Updates
Texas Longleaf Taskforce Plans November Training in Lufkin, TX
Those interested in Longleaf pine management including prescribed fire should consider this diverse training opportunity with the Longleaf Alliance and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Texas A&M Forest Service, US Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service and others. The course will provide needed information for burning companies, forestry consultants and landowners for managing Longleaf pine with fire. See flyer for details.
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Cooperative Extension & Educator's Corner
There are several Upcoming meetings & conferences for Extension/educators currently working on wildland fire programming and those interested in becoming involved.
FireVision 20/20 - The 7th Association for Fire Ecology (AFE) International Fire Congress
November 28-December 2, 2017- Buena Vista Palace Resort, Orlando, Florida
The Congress is hosting several wildland fire education presentations and discussions directly applicable to Extension personnel and other educators, including:
- Special Session: Exploring Past & Future Roles of the Cooperative Extension Service in U.S. Fire Education, Wednesday, Nov. 29. Five speakers will present on successful Extension responses to wildfire, wildland fire training opportunities for Extension, wildland fire educational resources to support public and landowner education, successful wildland fire volunteer education programs, and Extension future roles in fire education.
- Fire Circle: Wildland Fire Education and Outreach: Collaboration and Strategy to Increase Impact, Thursday, Nov. 30. This discussion period will focus on ways education and outreach partners can most effectively promote fire science application and management to private landowners, communities and the public.
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New Tools and Applications
By: Jeannie Patton, Communications Lead, The Nature Conservancy -
LANDFIRE Data Access Tool (LFDAT)
is now compatible with ArcGIS 10.3 - 10.5. The LFDAT is an ArcGIS toolbar that allows users to interact with the LF data distribution site and download LF data directly from ArcMap. Once the data are downloaded, the tool can automatically process the data into raster formats ready for analysis. LF received numerous inquiries asking when the next version of LFDAT would be available to work - the time is now!
LANDFIRE application: Forests have historically been under significant land use pressures that cause periods of degradation, clearance, and recovery. To understand these changes, Drummond et al. conducted studies that place trends in a historical landscape context and also examine recent dynamics.
The authors used historical investigation (c. 1800) and an examination of land use and land cover change between 1973 and 2006 to establish a baseline trajectory of the forested system of the south-central U. S. plains.
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Ten years of fire (red), logging (black) and windthrow (purple) mapped by LANDFIRE. Map by Randy Swaty, Ecologist, The Nature Conservancy's LANDFIRE Team.
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LANDFIRE disturbance data informed the team's account of the processes and causes of land change between 2001 and 2006.
Citation: Drummond, Mark A., Glenn E. Griffith, Roger F. Auch, Michael P. Stier, Janis L. Taylor, David J. Hester, Jodi L. Riegle, Jamie L. McBeth. 2017. Understanding recurrent land use processes and long-term transitions in the dynamic south-central United States, c. 1800 to 2006. Land Use Policy 68: 345-354.
Are you receiving LANDFIRE Bulletins and Postcards directly? We post monthly: news, application stories, interviews. Click here to learn more and to subscribe.
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Please log your burns!
The Oklahoma Prescribed Burn Association (OPBA)
collects prescribed burn data beyond Oklahoma.
An
online form is available
to log prescribed burns and it does not need names or exact locations. It is for anyone that burns in any state: private, state and federal. As of early May, there were 211 burns entered for 2017 from nine states.
For more information about the organization and the online form contact John Weir, President of the Board of Directors of OPBA, [email protected].
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Funding Opportunities for Fire-related Projec
ts
Texas AM Forest Service's Prepare for Wildfire: PRESCRIBED FIRE GRANT
Texas AM Forest Service is now accepting grant applications from private property owners who use strategically-planned prescribed fires to help reduce wildfire risk and restore natural ecosystems. Four grant programs are available which address various types of assistance and landowner situations.
Application deadline October 13, 2017. Click here to get details and application forms.
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There's good fire, there's bad fire, and we need more of the right kind of fire. What I mean by that is we need more prescribed burning and we need more cultural acceptance around prescribed burning, because we cannot remove fire from the landscape. We've already tried that experiment for 100 years and it didn't work.
- Jennifer Balch, a wildfire ecologist at the University of Colorado in Boulder
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November 17, 2017 - 1PM ET. "STARR: Integrating Natural Hazard Mitigation Plans and Community Wildfire Protection Plans"
Learn more and register to participate.
The Association of Fire Ecology offers
World of Wildland Fire videos. These excellent videos cover topics like wildfire ecology, latest research, fire behavior and fuels, moisture, and combustion.
More fire-related webinars are listed on the Southern Fire Exchange
webinar page.
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Upcoming Events, Training, and Networking
Prescribed Burn Certification Courses
October 4-5, 2017 - Prescribed Burn Certification Class in Rock Spring, GA
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Sponsored by Georgia Forestry Commission. Get more details and register online here.
October 16 & 17, 2017 - NC Forest Service Prescribed Burner Training in Troy, NC.
This course is a great way for landowners to take steps toward using prescribed fire on your own land. Click here to register to attend.
October through December of 2017 - 1-day Classes are held in Certification requires that an individual complete the training, pass a written exam, and document their burning experience. $50 registration fee. Contact Leslie Woodham at the SC Forestry Commission for more information at 803-896-8809.
December 5-6, 2017 - Prescribed Burn Certification Class in Waycross, GA.
Sponsored by Georgia Forestry Commission.
Click here for details and to register
May 8-10, 2018 - Prescribed Fire Training, Woodworth Outdoor Education Center.
Southern Fire Exchange has a useful Education and Training web page at:
State Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meetings
October 24, 2017 - South Florida Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting
The meeting will be held in West Palm Beach, FL. More details TBD.
October 25, 2017 - North Florida Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting
The meeting will be held in Tallahassee, FL. More details TBD.
October 26, 2017 - Louisiana Prescribed Fire Council
, 12th Annual Meeting,
DeWitt Livestock Facility, Dean Lee Research Station, 100 Greg Marshall Drive, Alexandria, LA 71302.
RSVP: [email protected] or 337-463-7006
Training Events
October 19, 2017 - Duff Fire Workshop, FSU Coastal & Marin Lab, St. Teresa, FL
The Southern Fire Exchange and partners are hosting a one day workshop on the latest in duff fire science and management. Participants will have the opportunity to talk with scientists and managers and visit a nearby long-unburned longleaf pine stand to discuss practical management solutions.
Click here for Online Registration
October 19, 2017 - Restoring and Managing Longleaf Pine, Natchitoches Parish, LA.
This event is for private landowners, silvicultural contractors, and forestry/wildlife professionals to learn about longleaf restoration and wildlife management. Call Chris Rice, Event Coordinator with The Nature Conservancy at (318) 237-5569.
Click here to download the registration form and details.
October 22 - November 17, 2017. Wildlife Firefighter Apprenticeship Program.
The Wildland Firefighter Apprentice Program is an accredited, educational program designed to enhance and develop future Fire and Aviation Managers. The intent of the Program is to take a career entry firefighter and provide education, training and paid work experience over a 12 to 48 month period, depending on experience. Upon successful completion of all the requirements of the Apprenticeship Program, the apprentice will reach journey-level status as a wildland firefighter.
October 23rd - 25, 2017 - S219 Firing Operations, Carolina Beach, NC
The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina will be hosting this 3-full days course. There is no tuition but students will be responsible for providing their own housing and meals. Applicants should email Mansfield Fisher [email protected] to enroll in the course. Please contact Angie Carl [email protected] or Mike Norris [email protected] if you have any questions regarding the course.
November 14-16, 2017 - Longleaf Academy: Fire & Longleaf F201, Lufkin, TX.
A 2-1/2 day course for landowners and natural resource professional in the use of prescribed fire in longleaf pine systems. Live fire demonstration, weather permitting Limited spots available. For more information, contact [email protected] or call (334) 427-1029
Firefighter II Certification. This intermediate firefighter training program (equivalent to NWCG S-131, S-133, and S-231 courses, as well as the G-131 course) is designed to prepare the Firefighter 2 (FFT2) to move to the Firefighter 1 (FFT1) position. This course trains these firefighters to coordinate with other resources and be good leaders - make sound tactical decisions while keeping safety their first priority.
Conferences and Workshops
October 3-5, 2017 - 4th Biennial Shortleaf Pine Conference,
Stockton Seaview Hotel in Galloway, New Jersey. The conference will feature 20+ sessions on land management practices, forest restoration, wildlife habitat and more, as well as an in-person look at shortleaf restoration in New Jersey's own Pine Barrens. For more information or to register for the event, visit:
http://shortleafpine.net/shortleaf-pine-initiative/conference
.
October 8, 2017 - Tour of Longleaf Management at the Sandhills Game Lands.
Please join us for a 2PM to 5PM tour of the Sandhills Game Lands to see examples of spectacular old growth trees, natural regeneration, and native wire grass ground cover. All the result of many years of prescribed fire! Please RSVP to Jessie Wimberly,
[email protected] and flyer at the end of this newsletter.
October 24-26, 2017 - Oak Symposium: Sustaining Oak Forests in the 21st Century through Science-Based Management / Knoxville, TN
Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2017 - AFE International Fire Congress / Orlando, FL
The Association for Fire Ecology (AFE) and Southern Fire Exchange will be co-hosting "Fire Vision 20/20: A 20 Year Reflection and Look into the Future." Various calls for proposals are open (check for topics and closing dates). Rx310 will also be offered concurrently with the conference (details); nominations are due by September 29. Information: http://afefirecongress.org/
2018 Events - Please Save the Date
Jan.14-Feb. 9, 2018. Wildlife Firefighter Apprenticeship Program. The Wildland Firefighter Apprentice Program is an accredited, educational program designed to enhance and develop future Fire and Aviation Managers. The intent of the Program is to take a career entry firefighter and provide education, training and paid work experience over a 12 to 48 month period, depending on experience. Upon successful completion of all the requirements of the Apprenticeship Program, the apprentice will reach journey-level status as a wildland firefighter.
Feb. 27-March 1, 2018 - 2018 Wildland Urban Interface Conference, Peppermill Resort, Reno, NV. Join
hundreds of the most influential people in wildland firefighting, forestry, land use and community planning all in one place. The educational sessions, hands-on exercises, and exhibit floor all offer numerous opportunities to share ideas and connect with other industry colleagues.
March 26-29, 2018 - National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy Workshop, Peppermill Resort, Reno, NV. "Making a Difference - Building Capacity, Improving Preparedness, and Learning form Experience." This conference is hosted by the International Association of Wldland Fire, in partnership with Wildland Fire Leadership Council and the Western, Southeastern and Northeastern Regional Strategic Committees.
May 21-24, 2018 - The Fire Continuum Conference, University of Montana, Missoula, MT. Call for Workshop Proposals (deadline 11/7/2017).
Oct. 24-26, 2018 - 22nd biennial Longleaf Alliance regional conference is scheduled to take place at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Alexandria, LA., October 24 through 26, 2018. Visit longleafalliance.org for more details.
Visit the Southern Fire Exchange for listings of conferences, webinars, workshops and field tours at:
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Resources
- PB-Piedmont Online. The original smoke model designed for modeling smoke movement down drainages within the Piedmont region of the Southeast is now online thanks to the Desert Research Institute. https://cefa.dri.edu/PB_Piedmont/
- National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. A Century of Wildland Fire Research: Contributions to Long-term Approaches for Wildland Fire Management: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Available as a free PDF download, on-screen reader, or purchase a hard copy.
- Prescribed Burning: Spotfires and Escapes is a new fact sheet from Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service along with six other southern and southwestern universities. The fact sheet contains excellent photos and illustrations specific to the concerns of spot-overs and escapes.
- Fire Behavior Field Reference Guide (PMS437) Now Available from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. FBANs, LTANs, and Fire Behavior Operational Personnel it is time to review and refresh your knowledge and skills! The 2017 FBFRG is now available at: https://www.nwcg.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pms437.pdf
Questions? Please contact: Tami Parkinson (Chair, Fire Behavior Subcommittee) at [email protected]
- InciWeb Incident Information System with current incidents (including prescribed burns), updates, photos, and more.
- The Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) is an online collection of >1,100 peer-reviewed syntheses on fire ecology and fire regimes in the United States.
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Job Postings
Prescribed Fire Corps Project Leader
with Student Conservation Association (SCA) in partnership with The Nature Conservancy, seeks qualified applicants to lead, educate, and inspire young adults for the Prescribed Fire Corps programs in the southeast U.S., January - May 2018. See the job description for full detail and how to apply.
Wildland Restoration International (WRI) Job Announcement:
Fire and Restoration Crew Member, Per Diem
See the job description for several as needed positions
Seeking Fire Management Officer
with Big Cypress Seminole Reservation. The Fire Management Officer is responsible for planning, managing and coordinating wildland fire management program for the Seminole Tribe of Florida's Environmental Resources Department on all of its tribal lands. Details and application at:
The Nature Conservancy has numerous fire-related positions open. For details, visit the
careers page and search "prescribed fire."
Online Job Boards:
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Contact Us
This newsletter is hosted by the Southeast Regional Partnership for Planning & Sustainability (SERPPAS) Prescribed Fire Work Group.
Share your prescribed fire
information, stories, and events!
Jennifer Fawcett
SERPPAS Prescribed Fire Work Group Coordinator
NC State University, Extension Forestry
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EXTENSION FORESTRY
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Campus Box 8008
Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
Kelley Duffield McCarter - Production Assistant
NC State University, College of Natural Resources
Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources
Campus Box 8008
Raleigh, NC 27695-8008
919-515-9563
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