2026 Rangeland Fall Forum to explore post-fire recovery

TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Wildfires are reshaping Idaho’s rangelands and raising urgent questions about recovery, adaptation and restoration. Experts, land managers and others will explore those questions during the 2026 Rangeland Fall Forum: After the Smoke, presented by the University of Idaho Rangeland Center and the James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research, on Friday and Saturday, Sept. 11-12, in the Magic Valley.

Attendees will learn about successful post-fire practices and tools available to rangeland managers, users and policymakers as fire patterns change. Topics will include post-fire policy, the science of post-fire recovery, conservation readiness, grazing test plots, drones and herbicide treatments and landscape conservation strategies.

“The Rangeland Fall Forum is an opportunity for learning and sharing information that can support the stewardship of rangelands,” said Eric Winford, interim director of the Rangeland Center. “With the extent of wildfires across the West this year, we want to share the latest science on how to support the recovery of rangelands, understand how institutions and policy can assist and discuss how we can work strategically at a scale that will matter.”

The College of Southern Idaho will host Friday’s presentations and discussions at the Herrett Center in Twin Falls. The field day on Saturday will be held at U of I’s Rinker Rock Creek Ranch in Blaine County, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and Wood River Land Trust. The tour will allow attendees to learn more about ongoing post-fire research at the ranch.

“We are so excited to deepen our student engagement this year, with undergraduates attending from Boise State University, College of Southern Idaho and University of Idaho,” said Katherine Himes, director of the McClure Center.

The Rangeland Fall Forum is open to anyone interested in rangelands, including operators, managers, businesses, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, community members, journalists and students. The event is held annually to explore current challenges and create opportunities for discussion.

The Rangeland Center was established in 2011 by the Idaho Legislature to address current challenges facing Idaho rangelands and the communities that rely on them. The McClure Center launched in 2007 and conducts evidence-based research, informs public dialogue and policy, facilitates collaboration and engages students in learning about policymaking.

Registration is $50 for Friday’s symposium and $30 for Saturday’s field tour. Participants may register for either or both days at go.uidaho.edu/after-the-smoke. Registration closes Friday, Sept. 4.

Media contact

Ella Hall
Rangeland Center Communications Director
Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences
406-550-2136
erhall@uidaho.edu