The use of prescribed fire to reduce wildfire risk is a bigger part of the conversation in the western US than it is in the South, but it's still very relevant to our region. In fact, in 2022, the southern area saw far more wildfires than any other region. Not to mention the vast extent of WUI that continues to grow here. A recent article from the US Forest Service tells the story of the 2023 Great Lakes Fire in North Carolina. Previous fuel reduction with prescribed fire on the Croatan National Forest contributed to the successful suppression of the fire which was threatening residential areas.

Many areas of the South faced record high temperatures and drought conditions this summer, leading to record fire activity. New research from the US Forest Service suggests that there will be significant increases in drought exposure for forests across the US, including some in the Southeast like oak-hickory forest types. One of the key takeaways from the research is that proactive management to reduce basal area of these forests through thinning and frequent prescribed fire may reduce mortality related to the expected increase in drought.

Last month we highlighted the re-imagining of the Fire Adapted Communities Network Blog that consolidates several existing fire-related networks. The Fire Networks partnership now has a website that serves as a one-stop-shop for information, products, and events for all of the related audiences.

The Nature Conservancy of North Carolina released an excellent video and a storymap that describe the 2023 Pulp Road Fire's impacts to the Green Swamp Nature Preserve. They describe many positive effects of the fire as it interacted with the preserve's fire-adapted longleaf pine and pocosin ecosystems, and its strong history of management with prescribed fire.