Smoke in the Southwest

In the Southwest, most ecosystems are adapted to some form of wildland fire. Smoke, the major byproduct of fire, is a real health issue, and finding ways to deal with this reality is discussed by several federal employees who work in land management.

Click here to listen to our “Smoke in the Southwest” podcast by Caitlyn Burford.


February 6, 2019: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Drones) For Measuring Canopy Fuels And Aerial Ignitions

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (drones) for measuring canopy fuels and aerial ignitions Presenters: Patrick Shin, Northern Arizona University and Jim Higgins, Drone Amplified Date: February 6, 2019 12pm Mountain This webinar combines two expert views of using drones in fire management. First Patrick Shin of Northern Arizona University will briefly discuss his research on using drones to evaluate canopy …

December 12, 2018: Use of small unmanned aircraft on wildfire incidents

Presenter: Mike Fontenot, Sky Fire Services & Fairmount Fire PD Date: December 12, 2018 12pm Mountain Unmanned Aircraft, commonly called “Drones,” are being used more and more for public safety, research, etc. Falling prices, rising capabilities, and a favorable regulatory framework are all fueling this growth. Let’s look at actual, real-world, Wildfire missions where these aircraft are …

Resources for predicting and mitigating smoke impacts of wildland fires

Resources for predicting and mitigating smoke impacts of wildland fires PDF. Working Paper 40, August 2018, by Caleb Stotts, Pete Lahm, and Claudia Standish Factsheet also available here. Fact Sheet, August 2018, by Caleb Stotts, Pete Lahm, and Claudia Standish Fire managers use prescribed fire and some wildfires to meet resource management objectives, like restoring and maintaining …

Smoke impacts, air resource advisors and you!

Air Resource Advisors provide a vast array of tools and products to predict and communicate smoke impacts during wildfires. Having a resource solely dedicated to smoke management and effective messaging improves both internal and external communication. View the video here.


November 27-29, 2018: Working together- Fire managers & archaeologists

Thank you to all who attended for helping us make this workshop a success! November 27th consisted of a one-day workshop on fire effects to archaeological resources November 28-29th was an interactive workshop and covered the following topics: Importance of fire on the landscape and the importance of protecting cultural resources within that context How …

Mormon Fire Staff Ride- Restoring Wildfire to the Landscape

The purpose of the Mormon Fire Staff Ride is to encourage the use of natural ignition fires as a forest management tool by creating a peer-learning space for line officers to explore implementation decisions and challenges. By using the story map, we hope to strengthen line officers’ preparedness and confidence around the use of natural ignitions and …

August 31, 2017: The East Jemez Landscape Futures Project

Date: August 31, 2017 11am AZ/12pm MDT Presenter: Collin Haffey, USGS Jemez Mountains Field Station The East Jemez Landscape Futures (EJLF) project is a collaborative process that aims to develop a holistic and forward-looking approach to managing areas of the eastern Jemez Mountains severely altered by drought, high severity fire, and post-fire flooding. To engage a diversity …