forest fires

The National Preparedness Level – or PL – system is a 1 to 5 scale that indicates how busy a season is. When determining the PL, officials consider fuel and weather conditions, current fire activity and the availability of resources throughout the country to respond.

Tom Schultz, the head of the U.S. Forest Service, is calling for wildfires to be extinguished “as swiftly as possible this season.” But aggressive suppression policies are widely believed to be one of the key culprits in the current wildfire crisis.

New research shows that wildfires can leave behind concerning levels of the carcinogenic chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). But researchers also looked at ways that homeowners can clean their properties after wildfires to substantially reduce the risk presented by PAHs.

Using a sizable dataset and an innovative methodology, researchers have just published a study looking at factors that influence retention for Hotshots, among the most experienced and highly trained workers on the fireline.

Last week Congress passed another continuing resolution that includes an extension of temporary raises for wildland firefighters through early next year. Advocates say that’s better than nothing, but also that the lack of a permanent pay solution is having real effects on hiring managers and firefighter morale.

It’s something many current and former wildland firefighters ask themselves: what does all this smoke, dust and ash I’ve been breathing for months on end mean for my health? A new national registry for all firefighters could eventually shed a great deal more light on that largely unanswered question.

Jed Meunier, a research scientist with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, is presenting the lecture “Fire, Climate Change & Forest Resilience in Sub-boreal Forests," which examines fire ecology in northern sub-boreal forests and makes comparisons to the West, boreal, and other forests regarding global climate change regulation and forest management. It's part of the college's 2022 Museum of Discovery Science Lecture series.

Crapser told Wyoming Public Radio that the biggest area of concern is the southern part of the state.

Wyoming State Forestry Division officials say that they have vacancies they are seeking to fill in both firefighting and non-firefighting roles. Though they say they're fairly well positioned for this fire season thus far, this could change if fires and resources are stretched thin. Local and state agencies, as well as the federal government have regularly experienced firefighting personnel shortages, which comes as fires are burning larger areas and are more frequent.

The Interior Department’s Deputy Secretary is visiting several places around the West to tout federal funding for wildland firefighting. That included a stop in Boise on Monday, where he toured the National Interagency Fire Center and attended a briefing on this year’s upcoming fire season.