New Driptorch Digest June 2018 Issue Now Available

DRIPTORCH DIGEST

A Newsletter for the Southern Prescribed Fire Community

No. 21 June 2018

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 visiting the Southeast Prescribed Fire Update blog to receive this newsletter as well as other occasional fire-related blog posts.

Prescribed Fire Council Updates

Alabama: The ALPFC will be partnering with others to host a "Learn & Burn" event for those interested in learning how to conduct a prescribed burn on the first available burn day between June 18-22. More details are available here .

Kentucky: The Information and Education Committee is working to update and improve their web presence. They would like to start making quarterly updates to the website, but that will require content from the membership. This content can be a variety of things, such as calendar updates for trainings, meetings, and workshops; research updates; stories; photos; news and more. If you have ideas for content please send them to Kyle Sams .

The KYPFC has also announced their Annual Meeting will be in September. More details are provided in the "Upcoming Events" section below.

Louisiana: The LAPFC will be partnering with others to host a "Learn & Burn" event for those interested in learning how to conduct a prescribed burn next Spring. More details coming soon!

The LAPFC has also announced their Annual Meeting will be in October. More details are provided in the "Upcoming Events" section below.

North Carolina: You can find news from the NCPFC in their Spring 2018 newsletter. The NCPFC has also announced their Annual Meeting will be in August. More details are provided in the "Upcoming Events" section below.

Other Updates: Check on your state's PFC website to find an event near you.

Southeast Cohesive Fire Management Strategy Success Stories

Tell Your Story!

Have a story that highlights the successes and challenges related to prescribed fire and the implementation of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy? Fill out this form or contact Holly Campbell for more information, and be sure to read up on past successes.


	Credit: Leslie Boby, Southern Regional Extension Forestry

Virginia "Learn & Burn" Connects Landowners, Agencies, and Fire

On Thursday, May 10, nine state and regional partners came together at the Airfield Conference Center in Wakefield, VA to host a workshop on prescribed fire for private landowners. The workshop featured classroom presentations and a live burn conducted by landowner attendees under guidance from agency mentors. Check out photos from the event here ( please credit Meghan Marchetti and the VA Department of Game and Inland Fisheries with any use) .

Keep an eye open for an upcoming webinar and how-to guide on conducting these "learn and burns"!


Photo by Bruce Schultz LSU AgCenter

LSU AgCenter Holds Workshop to Certify Burners

Twenty-three students attended an LSU AgCenter prescribed burn workshop May 8-10 to learn the proper use of fire to improve forests. In the photo to the left, Student Kyle Clark starts a fire during a prescribed burn workshop held by the LSU AgCenter at the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Outdoor Education Center near Woodworth. The certification the students receive provides liability protection if a burn plan is followed. Several factors have to be considered, including humidity, wind strength and direction during a prescribed burn to control the fire and smoke. Read the entire story here .

Tall Timbers Event Brings Fire Scientists and Managers Together

By Kevin Hiers, Tall Timbers Research Station

More than 75 prescribed fire researchers and managers assembled at Tall Timbers for the annual 5-day Prescribed Fire Science Consortium Burn Event. Organized by the Tall Timbers Wildland Fire Research Program, the event provides fire researchers a common platform to conduct studies on smoke and fire behavior, which leads to greater efficiency, integration, and collaboration. Just as critical, prescribed fire managers from around the country are invited to share their research needs and discuss limitations to expanding the use of prescribed fire. This year, managers from New Jersey to Utah were exposed to cutting edge drone technologies, new fire behavior modeling tools, 3D fuel scans using LiDAR, and novel smoke research.


	Photos courtesy of Tall Timbers.

This effort is an innovative attempt to implement the concept of "co-production of science" by integrating managers and researchers into conversations about science needs, prescribed fire outcomes, and applications of emerging technologies. Funding was provided through the USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station and the USFS Southern Research Station. This year's effort resulted in 5 burns in 4 days 15 hours of drone flights in smoke, and a comparison of 5 novel methods of the fire environment to traditional measures.

New Fire Science You Can Use

By Leslie Boby, SREF and Southern Fire Exchange

There are many great webinars coming up this summer through Southern Fire Exchange's webinar series . On July 19th at 1:00 pm ET Carrie Sekarak will present about the Role of Fire in Southeastern Isolated Wetlands. Completing the summer, Talat Odman from Georgia Tech and Fernando Garcia Menendez from North Carolina State University will discuss Prescribed Fire and Air Quality Tracking with SIPFIS. In early fall (date TBA), J ennnifer Fawcett will present about Lessons Learned from Hosting Learn-n-Burn events. All upcoming webinars are also listed in the Webinar section below.

Recent webinars from the spring are archived and available on the Southern Fire Exchange website.

Check out the most recent edition of the SFE Fire Lines newsletter and the CAFMS Newsletter for a variety of fire science information!

Join the SFE email list to receive future issues of Fire Lines and other email updates.

FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITIES

LEARNING NETWORK

Six Great Wildfire Adaptation Resources in Spanish: It's About More Than Word-for-Word Translations

Those working in communities with significant populations whose primary language is not English need to take extra care to avoid miscommunications. The Nature Conservancy's Associate Director of Global Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Maria Estrada, covers missteps to avoid and resources available for communication with Spanish-speakers.

FAC Learning Network: An Example of Effective Collaboration

The Stanford Social Innovation Review's Cutting Through the Complexity: A Roadmap for Effective Collaboration cites the FAC Learning Network as an example of how working together allows participants in projects to strengthen relationships, leading to improved trust and increased action. The entire article is worth a read for ideas on how to build and improve networks that achieve results.

Please Log your Burns

Help improve regional data on the use of prescribed fire.

Encourage burners from any state to report their prescribed burn to the OPBA website . No personal information is required and you will not be contacted or added to any list . If you have questions about this effort, please contact John Weir, Research Associate at Oklahoma State University. This information is used to gather data on prescribed burns from around the country to support the use of prescribed fire. In the past this data helped to support law and policy changes, assist some burn associations with receiving grants and to help show others how safe and effective prescribed burning is.

Extension Connection

Resources and stories, from and/or for
Cooperative Extension Service Faculty and Staff

Learn & Burn Events

Are you interested in putting on a Learn & Burn field day for landowners to gain experience in burning, but not sure where to start? We will be offering a webinar on this subject this fall in conjunction with the Southern Fire Exchange. Tell us what you would like to know about staging such an event, and we will attempt to incorporate it into the webinar.

LANDFIRE Updates

By: Jeannie Patton, Communications Lead, The Nature Conservancy -

LANDFIRE


Greg Dillon USFS

Is there anyone who hasn't worked with Greg Dillon over the many years he's contributed to the LANDFIRE (LF) Program, as in, from Day One? This long-time U.S. Forest Service spatial fire analyst works on varied projects that use geospatial technology to address land management and fire management questions. Two of these projects involve assessing wildfire risk across National Forest System lands in the U.S., and producing and maintaining the Wildfire Hazard Potential map that depicts potential wildfire hazard across the U.S. Read LANDFIRE's interview with LF's "super user."

LF is updating the Web-Hosted Application Map ( WHAM!, pictured right) with new applications, report s, and corrected URLs. The old version remains accessible, but may not be up-to-date in places. The updated map should launch mid-summer. Thanks for your patience.

Because you asked: Julia Deis' four-part blog series about LF Remap is posted on Conservation Gateway.

Are you receiving LANDFIRE Bulletins and Postcards directly? We post monthly: news, application stories, interviews. Click here to learn more and to subscribe.

Funding News & Opportunities

Learn and Burn Events

Funding is available to help support two Learn and Burn workshops in 2019 . Contact Jennifer Fawcett if you are interested in holding one in your area.

More information on funding opportunities is also available at the grants.gov site.

Webinars and Videos

Upcoming Webinars

July 19, 2018 - 1:00 PM ET The Role of Fire in Southeastern Wetlands
August 23, 2018 - 1:00 PM ET Prescribed Fire and Air Quality Tracking with SIPFIS
TBD, 2018 - 1:00 PM ET Lessons Learned from Hosting Learn-n-Burn Events

Videos

The Cohesive Strategy Stakeholders Perspectives features stakeholder views on the strategy's goal of reducing wildlife impacts through collaboration and partnerships.
The Prescribed Fire Complexity Rating System Guide gives an introduction to the interagency prescribed fire complexity analysis standards established in 2017.
Videos for Landowners is an archive of short videos telling the stories of Texas landowners who are managing longleaf pine including the use of prescribed burning for vegetation control, native grass protection, and crop tree release. These videos are made possible by Texas Longleaf Taskforce through America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative.
Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) 19 Years of Research Supporting Sound Decisions. Hosted by University of Florida IFAS.

Archived Webinars

Diversity: Just gender and race...Or a diversity of perspectives? (March 2018) Presenter: Sara Brown, USFS Human Performance & Organizational Learning Research, Development & Applications.
More previously recorded fire-related webinars can be found on the Southern Fire Exchange archived webinar page.
Previously recorded webinars from the Consortium of Appalachian Fire Managers and Scientists are available on their Webinars and Presentations page.

Upcoming Events, Training, and Networking

Prescribed Fire Council Meetings

August 2-3, 2018 - The North Carolina Prescribed Fire Council will hold their annual meeting in Asheboro, NC. More information on the meeting is coming soon on their website.

September 24- 25, 2018 - Kentucky Prescribed Fire Council Joint Annual Meeting with the Consortium of Appalachian Fire Managers and Scientists - Bats and Fire Workshop. The meeting and workshop will be held at the Cave City Convention Center (502 Mammoth Cave St.) in Cave City, KY. Further registration details and agenda coming soon on their website: www.kyfire.org.

October 26, 2018, 8 AM-1 PM - Louisiana Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting at DeWitt Livestock Facility, 100 Greg Marshall Drive, Alexandria, LA (Dean Lee Research Station/LSUA). There is no cost, but registration is requested to ensure a proper number of seating. For more information, contact Keith Hawkins.

Prescribed Burn Certification Courses

Alabama: Alabama Forestry Commission's Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Program offers courses for certification and workshops for re-certification. To register, contact Marti Davis at 34-240-9332. Seating is limited.

July 30, 2018 - Auburn University, AL - Certification Course, $150 fee
July 31 - August 3 - Auburn University, AL - Re-certification Workshop, $100 fee
September 17, 2018 - Tuscaloosa, AL - Certification Course, $150 fee
September 18 - 21, 2018 - Tuscaloosa, AL - Re-certification Workshop, $100 fee

Kentucky: In conjunction with the annual meeting and workshop, the KPFC will also be hosting their first Certified Burn Boss Workshop on September 26-28. Completion of this course and post course experience are the final steps to becoming a Burn Boss in Kentucky. Registration information and pre- requisite information for the course can be found on the home page of the KPFC website. Please contact Training Committee Chair Ben Robinson with questions.

Mississippi: Mississippi Forestry Commission's Prescribed Burning Short Course is held twice annually and is designed for anyone wishing to become a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager in Mississippi. Details and registration/payment information are available at mfc.ms.gov/prescribed-burning-short-course

June 19-21, 2018 - Southern Regional Fire Training Center, Pearl, MS
September 18-20, 2018 - Hilton Garden Inn, Starkville, MS

North Carolina: Registration will open soon for 2018-2019 North Carolina Certified Burner Training. Locations and dates will also be available soon.

Texas: The Texas Department of Agriculture will hold a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Course June 25-28 at the Texas A&M Forest Service District Office in Jasper, TX. Registration is free, but seating is limited. In conjunction with the first day of the course, a Continuing Fire Training session will be held from 8:00 am-5:00 pm. The session is free with registration and open to all, but prior burning experience is suggested. More information on upcoming training opportunities can be found here.

Fire Festivals

October 13, 2018 - Fire in the Pines Festival at Halyburton Park, Wilmington, NC. See full details here!

Training Events

June 11-15, 2018 - The Nature Conservancy will hold Basic Wildland Firefighter Training S130/190/L180 at the Apalachicola Bluffs and Ravines Preserve in Bristol, FL. Contact Jack Stites at [email protected] or 850-643-2756 Ext. 212 for more information or to register.

June 12, 2018 - 9am to 5pm - S-131 Firefighter Type 1 Training, Gainesville, FL. $75 registration fee. Topics include fireline reference materials, communications, and tactical decision making. Register by May 15, limited seating.

June 12, 2018 - Summer Fire Field Day , Stillwater, OK. Join to learn about conducting growing season burns. A live burn will be conducted, weather permitting. RSVP to John Weir at [email protected] by June 6th.

June 12-14, 2018 - Longleaf Academy: Fire & Longleaf 201, Southern Pines, NC. Full details and registration at www.longleafalliance.org

June 13-14, 2018 - 9am to 5pm daily. S-215 Fire Operations in the Wildland/Urban Interface, Gainesville, FL $100 registration fee. Learn skills needed to evaluate the situation, order and deply assets, apply safe and effective tactics, minimize threat to life and property. Register by Mary 15, limited seating.

June 18-22, 2018 - Increasing Prescribed Fire Capacity Through Mentoring: A Live-Fire Event, Bullock County, AL. This event will take place in the first available burn window in the designated time span. Maximum advanced notice will be two days before the event. Online registration is available through June 1, afterwards contact John Stivers at [email protected].

June 18-20, 2019 - Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling for NC Prescribed Burns, Montgomery Community College, Troy, NC. Course requires approximately 4 hours of pre-course work. CFE Category 1 hours will be available. Registration is required by June 8, 2018.

June 19, 2018 - Does Shortleaf Pine Have a Place in Your Woods?, Cullman, AL This workshop will cover many topics related to shortleaf, including prescribed fire. Registration is free but required.

July 17-19, 2018 - Longleaf Academy: Fire & Longleaf 201, Webb Center, Garnett, SC. Full details and registration at www.longleafalliance.org

August 14-17 - S-130/190 Basic Wildland Firefighter Training, Gainesvlle, FL. This course is a hybrid format and requires both an online and in-person component. Registration is $95 for current college students with a valid ID and $125 for all others. Registration does not include lodging and is required by July 20th.

Oct. 15 - Nov. 2, 2018 - Spanish-language Prescribed Fire Training Exchange / Santa Fe NF, NM. El octavo entrenamiento e intercambio en quemas prescritas en español. La fecha límite para la recepción de solicitudes es el Lunes 2 de Abril. Información: anuncio y formulario para postulantes

Oct. 29 - Nov. 9, 2018 - Southern Blue Ridge Prescribed Fire Training Exchange / Pickens, SC. Save the date for the first TREX with planned aerial ignitions to be held in the Appalachians. The base camp will be adjacent to Table Rock State Park, site of a large fall 2016 wildfire; TREX burning is planned for Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Save the date, registration will open soon.

Ongoing - 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.

Visit the Southern Fire Exchange Education and Training page for more opportunities.

Conferences, Workshops & Other Events

October 1-3, 2018 - Great Plains Prescribed Fire Summit, Ardmore, OK. The second biennial summit will cover topics from prescribed fire basics to the latest fire science and will include a field tour. All practitioner levels are encouraged to attend. More information will available soon, for questions contact Brian Hays at [email protected] or Russell Stevens at [email protected] .

Oct. 23-26, 2018 - The Longleaf Alliance, Alexandria, LA.

The 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 this link for more details.

Visit the Southern Fire Exchange for more listings of conferences, webinars, workshops and field tours here .

Web-based Resources and Tools

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Smoke Management Guide for Prescribed Fire is available for PDF download. The guide was published in in February 2018, revised from the original 2001 edition.
Paper by Wayne Casio of EPA entitled, Wildland fire smoke and human healthis being published in the Science of The Total Environment and is posted on the Northwest Fire Science Consortium website.
Interagency Fuels Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS)
has been updated and is ready for the new fuels planning season.

Job Postings

Fire Ecology Program Internships - The Fire Ecology Program at Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy in Tallahassee, FL seeks to provide field and laboratory experience for college students and recent graduates in the areas of plant ecology, ecosystem ecology, and fire ecology and science. Most internships last 12-16 weeks and are largely fieldwork based. Summer interns work from May-August and Fall interns work from October-December. Get full details and application instructions here.

Wildland Restoration International (WRI) -
WRI is currently recruiting conservation-minded, NWCG-qualified staff for the following prescribed fire and ecosystem restoration team positions. These positions are to be filled immediately. Please visit their website for more information and application instructions. WRI also has a subscription option that will notify you by email of job announcements and training opportunities.
- Florida
- Southeastern U.S.: TBA this fall