Stories at the intersection of wildfire, people, and places across the Southwest.
Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Fire: One Year Later
The Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Fire was a devastating event for New Mexico. Many communities were affected, and while this fire was unique, it will not be for long. Climate change and the effects of a century of fire exclusion mean that fires like this one are increasingly likely. We must understand what happened in the largest fire in state…
Post-fire Flooding: The Museum Fire
The Museum Fire in 2019 burned 1,961 acres and a record monsoon season in 2021 caused post-fire flooding from the burn scar, which affected many homes and businesses. The Story Map aims to outline the full timeline of the fire, the aftermath and flooding, and considerations for the future. Topics include the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project, management responses to the…
Fighting for Firefighter Safety
Research to Implementation: A JFSP Success Story Wildfires are getting larger and more frequent across the Western U.S., which means more and more firefighters are being mobilized into action. Firefighters are constantly exposed to hazardous conditions while performing their jobs and safety is critical in such volatile and dynamic environments. The Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) recognizes that research must…
Working Together: Fire Managers and Archaeologists
The Southwest contains both some of the greatest of archaeological sites and landscapes in which fire plays a major role in the ecosystem. Due to the widespread prevalence of both fire and cultural resources, archaeologists and fire managers must work together to locate and manage significant sites. However, different perspectives and approaches between fire managers and archaeologists can arise during…
After the Fire: Learning from Burned Areas in the Southwest
In the spring of 2019, several partners teamed up with the Burned Area Learning Network to visit coordinate a series of three field trips across the Southwest. Scientists, researchers, and land managers came together to visit burned areas of the Boundary Fire (2017) and Pumpkin Fire (2000) in Arizona, the Las Conchas Fire (2011) in New Mexico, and the Hayman…