The September Driptorch Digest is Now Available

The communities impacted by the recent wildfire events in Hawaii have been at the forefront of our minds. Many contributing factors have been named in the tragic outcomes of those fires including a buildup of available fuels and limited time for evacuations. Combined with the recent wildfire stories coming out of Louisiana, we are reminded that the South is still in fire season and that we should double-check our own wildfire readiness. Below are some of the resources recommended by the Southeastern Cohesive Fire Strategy for understanding the wildfire risk in your area, reducing the risk around your home, and preparing an evacuation plan.

Check the most recent fire potential outlook for the southern area
Find the wildfire risk for your specific location using the Southern Group of State Foresters Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal
Take the "Ready, Set, Go!" steps to ensure that you and your home are wildfire ready
Learn what makes a "Fire Adapted Community" in the Southeast

Your Insights are Requested for Two Research Projects on RX Fire
1. Are you interested in developing a new MOU for prescribed burning but don't know where to start? Or, have you been involved in developing a prescribed fire MOU in the past and are willing to answer questions about your participation? If so, please join this study! Researchers at the University of Florida are leading a study to help provide recommendations for creating prescribed fire MOUs in the future. Please contact Tyler Carney at tcarney96@ufl.edu with questions or interest in participating in the study.
2. Dr. Chelsea LeNoble, at the University of Central Florida, and her colleagues are conducting a study of team resilience in prescribed fire operations, and would like to learn from your insights and experience. They are looking for folks that are certified to conduct RX fires to participate in a one-hour interview to share their RX fire expertise. Please follow this link for more details about the study and to sign up to participate. https://ucf.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eYgMXGj2h8FEMgm

Driven by extreme drought conditions across half of the state and an exceptionally warm summer, Louisiana is being impacted by some of the worst fires it has ever experienced. In the past couple of days, the Fire Marshal's Office warned that the state would be facing the worst fire danger in its history. Officials and scientists are highlighting this as another example of the interaction between climate change and wildfire that should tell us what to expect in the future of fire management in the South.

Southern Regional Extension Forestry has released a new resource for southern prescribed burners, created by a team of Forestry Extension professionals for burners of all experience levels. The design of the guidebook is excellent. It is filled with checklists, diagrams, and photos that make it engaging, well-organized, and usable. The guidebook is divided into two sections: the first section walks the user through the steps to plan and conduct a burn, while the second section supports the reader's conceptual knowledge of fire.

The Southern Fire Exchange has created a set of sign templates designed to show public support for the use of prescribed fire. Steering away from the hazard-indicating yellow and orange of traditional fire signage, these signs are forest green and feature designs that highlight the positive ecological role of fire. The templates can be used to create permanent signage to be posted near lands managed with prescribed fire. The free template files can be downloaded from the SFE website.

USDA Forest Service Inflation Reduction Act Forest Landowner Support

Funding available towards two objectives:

Support the participation of underserved forest landowners in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience
Support the participation of forest landowners who own less than 2,500 acres of forestland in emerging private markets for climate mitigation or forest resilience

Award amount: Up to $25,000,000
Application Deadlines:

October 21, 2023 (proposal budgets $2,000,000 - $25,000,000)
Rolling basis, quarterly (all other proposals)