Each fall, students taking the prescribed burning lab use prescribed fire to prepare harvest units for future planting or natural regeneration.
THE PROJECT
The prescribed burning lab, which takes place in our Experimental Forest, is a course requirement for students in our new fire ecology and management program. As the only undergraduate degree program in the nation focused on wildland fire, students will learn how to make sound decisions about fire prevention, suppression and management.
“I’m happy to hear the University of Idaho has developed a new fire ecology and management degree program. A bachelor of science degree program, such as this, is an excellent way to meet federal fire professional requirements,” said Dave Koch, training officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
THE IMPACT
In this program, and with hands-on learning in the prescribed burning lab, students:
- Learn how to assess potential fire hazards.
- Understand how and why fires ignite and spread.
The fire ecology and management program will help meet the growing demand for highly-trained fire professionals across the state and country.
“Our program will teach students how to balance the benefits there may be from fires with the impacts and public perceptions of the fires,” said Penny Morgan, professor of forest resources. “This is more than fire suppression. It’s about managing fires and making decisions that have implications for wildlife, aesthetics and economics."
THE VISION
Faculty members estimate that within four years, the one-of-a-kind fire ecology and management program will enroll some 80 new students. Morgan believes these students will be highly sought-after to fill critical leadership positions within federal and state government agencies, nonprofit organizations and in consulting and other businesses. The prescribed burning lab course combine lectures, discussions and two full-day field trips, where students will conduct a prescribed burn and evaluate the results, including:
- Learning fundamentals of a prescribed burning program
- Collecting and analyze data required for planning and evaluating prescribed burns
- Gaining basic understanding of fire weather, fuels, and behavior
- Preparing a fire use plan for a prescribed burn
THE PEOPLE
Students in our fire ecology and management program, plus our fire ecology and management faculty members.