Natural resources | Fire ecology and management option

The fire ecology and management option of the Master of Natural Resources (MNR) degree offers students a science-based approach to managing, using, and living with wildland fire.

“Unlike many other advanced degree programs, the University of Idaho designed its MNR program with the working professional and non-traditional student in mind…This is one of the best decisions I have made thus far in my career. The quality of instruction, the variety of courses, and the willingness of the professors to accommodate my hectic schedule during the fire season are reasons I know I made the right decision.”

- Darcy McDaniel, MNR-Fire graduate, former Hotshot, now US Forest Service Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation Management

The Master of Natural Resources (MNR) is an interdisciplinary, course-based graduate program designed for professionals who want to advance their careers in natural resources. You’ll integrate key perspectives — ecology, planning, policy, society and technology — to develop a systems-level understanding of natural resources and fire management. Open to students from all academic backgrounds, this flexible professional degree builds the skills and credentials you need to manage natural resources effectively. You can complete the program fully online or through a mix of online and on-campus courses, with an option to add a fire science certificate for specialized expertise.

The fire ecology and management option will deepen your understanding so you can advance wildland fire science and address the wildfire management challenges facing society. Completing this option will help you advance your professional career in wildland fire and fuels management, ecological restoration, fire behavior and modeling, fire policy and human dimensions, and the latest GIS and remote sensing tools and technology. The option also reinforces fundamentals in applied ecology, natural resources management, communications and other career-advancing knowledge and skills. Join the country’s largest natural resources graduate program from any location. 

 Highlights of this program include:  

• Choose from over 60 online courses in natural resources to craft your own curriculum.
• Graduate from the largest Fire Ecology and Management graduate degree program in the U.S.
• Learn from and collaborate with experienced and internationally acclaimed fire science professors on your own schedule.
• Integrate with fire management and fire science networks to expand your career.
• Complete a concurrent Fire Ecology and Management Technology Certificate.  

Program curriculum includes:

• 14 core credits (fuels inventory and monitoring; fire ecology; science synthesis and communication; advanced fire behavior; wildland fire policy)
• Two courses in tools and technology
• One course in ecology and management
• Two courses in policy, planning, and society
• Final comprehensive portfolio
• 30 credits total

See the full curriculum in the catalog.

Find more information in the CNR Graduate Handbook.

Professional organizations

Graduates of this program are qualified to apply for certification as a Wildland Fire Ecologist through the Association for Fire Ecology.