04/27/2017 Wildland Fire Minute

May is Wildfire Mitigation Month, and we will be back to weekly Wildland Fire Minutes. Our focus today is on prescribed fire, which plays an essential role in creating healthier, more resilient forests.

For the next two weeks, students from across the United States will be honing their skills and gaining valuable experience in Central Oregon and Ashland during two Prescribed Fire Training Exchanges. These exchanges bring together non-profits conservation groups such as The Nature Conservancy with tribal, federal, state, local and even international partners. 

Students of varying experience levels learn in the classroom, and then head out in the field to conduct prescribed fires. They learn not only the tactical side, but also the ecological importance of prescribed fire. 

In Washington State, folks are gearing up to conduct prescribed fires as part of the second year of the Forest Resiliency Burning pilot project. You may see smoke in the air, but recognize it may be from a good fire, one that is helping reduce the hazardous fuel loading and creating a healthier forest.

To learn more about the latest wildland fire conditions in the Pacific Northwest head on over to: http://gacc.nifc.gov/nwcc/

Video by Michael Campbell, BLM -- Graphics by Matt Christenson, BLM – Featuring Traci Weaver, BLM/U.S. Forest Service.