This the twelfth annual report in a series Southwest wildfire season overviews available from the Southwest Fire Science Consortium and the Ecological Restoration Institute. This overview provides a concise summary of the 2024 fire season and facilitates comparisons with past fires and fire seasons. It follows the format of past years’ overviews and describes the …
In a nutshell: Presenters from University of Arizona discuss how wildland fire managers use decision support tools and how those weather and climate tools can be revised or reinvented to better fit managers’ needs. Recorded on: Thursday, June 26, 2025 Description: Three short presentations about recent work from the University of Arizona on understanding how …
The Southwest Fire Science Consortium has recognized the growing need for science on how to protect the sensitive ecology of the Sonoran Desert from the dual, and related, threats of invasive grass spread and wildfire. We have worked diligently on collaborative efforts aimed at meeting the need of land managers in the Desert. Read the …
In a nutshell: Learn about commonalities and unique events within the 10 largest Southwestern fires of 2024 and hear a meteorologist explore the fire season outlook and expectations for fire weather behavior in 2025. Recorded on: Thursday, May 1, 2025 Description: Most frequent-fire forests throughout the Intermountain West have been degraded during the last 150 …
Read more “Fire in the Southwest: Fire season 2024 overview and 2025 outlook”
“Fire is an integral component of many Southwest ecosystems; however, fire regimes across the region have been affected by climate change, creating conditions to which these ecosystems have not adapted. Since 1980, fire frequency, size and severity have increased in many ecosystems in the western US due to changes in climate combined with a history …
In a nutshell: This panel discussion reflects on fire management decisions made – and opportunities missed – during the San Juan National Forest’s 2023 fire season, and how those decisions represent an organizational evolution toward more nuanced and strategic thinking about fire response. Photo description: As a key piece of infrastructure, mangers focused on protecting …
Read more “An Evolution in Thinking About Fire: A Panel Discussion”
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 …
This report is the tenth in a series of annual Southwest wildfire season overviews available from the Southwest Fire Science Consortium and the Ecological Restoration Institute. The goal of this overview is to provide a concise summary of the fire season and to facilitate comparisons with past fires and fire seasons. It follows the format …
Download a PDF of the fact sheet here and read the entire science synthesis report here.