April 2013: White/Donaldson Fires

A one day field trip to both the White and Donaldson Fires near Ruidoso, New Mexico that reviewed how both fires burned in the same year (2011) with very different effects. We visited unburned and burned areas that received mastication and other fuels treatments, discussed treatments and how they may have affected fire behavior, fire …

February 19, 2013: Implementing the Mexican spotted owl revised recovery plan: Conducting fire management in owl habitat

Presenters: Bill Block (USFS RMRS) and Shaula Hedwall (USFWS) The Mexican Spotted Owl Recovery Plan, First Revision, was released on December 17, 2012.  The Recovery Team used the best available science to delineate actions we think are required to recover and protect the owl.  This Recovery Plan presents realistic and attainable goals for recovering the …

December 9, 2012: Synthesis of Knowledge of Extreme Fire Behavior for Fire Managers

Presenter: Paul Werth Extreme fire behavior indicates a level of fire behavior characteristics that ordinarily precludes methods of direct control action. One or more of the following is usually involved: high rate of spread, prolific crowning/spotting, presence of fire whirls, and strong convection column. This webinar will summarize the recent JFSP publication  that connects the …

November 2012: New Mexico Rx Fire Council

We hosted a one day joint meeting and field trip for the New Mexico Prescribed Fire Council and the New Mexico Interagency Coordinating Group to help bridge the role of the two groups and create an opportunity for sharing of information and building contacts. On the field trip, we took the group to the Chupadera …

November 2013: Living with Fire in Northern New Mexico: Fire, Forests and Communities

This was an interactive workshop with regional scientists and land managers, breakout sessions that allowed for open dialogue with participants and presenters, and time for one on one with presenters and others. Topics covered: The ecology of forests and fire of Northern New Mexico Current conditions in our forests and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) communities …

October 17, 2012: Economics of Ecological Restoration and Hazardous Fuel Reduction Treatments

Presenter: Yeon-Su Kim (Northern Arizona University) and Diane Vosick (Ecological Restoration Institute) What are the economic values of landscape-level ecological restoration and hazardous fuel treatments?  The Ecological Restoration Institute at Northern Arizona University (ERI) assembled a team of wildland fire economists to conduct a rapid evidence-based assessment, as well as to design a timely and efficient …

September 27, 2012: Track Fire

A one day tour of the Track Fire near Raton, New Mexico. The fire started on June 12, 2012 from ATV Carbon exhaust flakes. It burned New Mexico and Colorado public and private land requiring interstate logistics. Some burned areas received cooperative post-fire watershed rehabilitation treatments from the City of Raton, the states of New …

December 14, 2011: Carbon and water balances of southwestern ponderosa pine forests

In this webinar Dr. Thomas Kolb summarized the key findings of a six-year study of impacts of intense fire and fuel-reduction thinning on the carbon and water balances of ponderosa pine forests in Arizona. The results should be of interest to fire and forest managers and climate change scientists who want more information about impacts …

June 2011: Santa Fe Watershed Forum and Field Trip

A large and diverse group of collaborators has successfully initiated restoration of ponderosa pine forests in the Santa Fe municipal watershed, which provides up to 50% of Santa Fe’s water. Follow-up prescribed fire treatments within sight of the state capital building have been successful in part due to continuing outreach to maintain high levels of …