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Happy Holidays and New Year!
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No matter how you're celebrating this holiday season, we are grateful you are part of our prescribed fire community in the South. We look forward to seeing you in 2023!
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Tippin' Torch: Tips for the Season
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As the leaves continue to fall and cover the ground, many lands in the Southeast are ready to burn. The USFS recently published a great overview of fire in eastern oak forests. Whether you aim to take advantage of the continuous surface fuels to carry fire, align your burn with the natural seasonality of fire on your lands, reduce hazardous fuels, or simply get rid of your leaf piles, make sure you take the necessary steps to burn safely and effectively!
Refer to your state's forestry agency and regional prescribed fire organizations to ensure that you cover all of the important factors while planning your burns. There are also many resources on the Southeast Prescribed Fire Update website.
Here are a few things you may want to consider:
- Securing burn permits and/or providing notice to local authorities
- Current fire restrictions and burning bans
- Weather, especially wind and humidity
- Having necessary equipment on hand (including a phone, just in case)
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Prescribed Fire News Roundup
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Indigenous Peoples Burning Network
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At the end of National Native American Heritage Month, we want to highlight the Indigenous Peoples Burning Network (IPBN). The program aims to build connection between Tribal and non-Tribal partners to support the revitalization of Native American fire cultures and practices. IPBN is always working to enhance their network, including by strengthening connections to the southeast region.
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Exploring RX Fire for Ecosystem Restoration and Tick Management
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A new paper in Ecological Applications asks, "Can restoration of fire-dependent ecosystems reduce ticks and tick-borne disease prevalence in the eastern United States?" ( Gallagher et al., 2022). It describes how fire affects tick populations and thus how prescribed fire may be used to manage the prevalence of ticks in an area. The Oak Woodlands and Forests Fire Consortium included a summary of the paper in their October Newsletter (linked below).
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PBS NC Video Features RCW Research in the Sandhills
If your work intersects with conservation in the Southeast, you probably are familiar with the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker (RCW) and its relationships to Longleaf Pine and fire. This video by PBS NC highlights some of the research being done in the Sandhills Game Lands to protect this infamous species.
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Interactive Map of Prescribed Burn Associations Across the Country
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The Great Plains Fire Exchange has an interactive map that displays the locations of PBAs in the US. This resource is maintained manually so if you know of a PBA that is not listed or that has outdated information, please click "Add or Update a PBA" on the site.
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FireSMART: Arkansas' New Online Tool for Easy Smoke Management Decision-Making
The recently-released Arkansas FireSMART web app aims to help crop producers and forest landowners follow the State's Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines. It walks the user through four simple steps to make an informed decision about whether or not to burn that day.
The user provides information about their planned burn activities such as location, fuel loading, and acreage. The app then informs them of key
points like the day's burning conditions, a map displaying expected smoke impacts to sensitive areas, and contextual information about other reported burning in the area. The user can then submit their burn information so that the State can better track smoke production from prescribed burns.
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Mississippi's Fire on the Forty Campaign: A Prescribed Fire Incentive Program for Private Landowners
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In the most recent blog post on the Southeast Prescribed Fire Update, Kayci Willis describes Mississippi's unique program for incentivizing private landowners. Fire on the Forty stands out for its easy accessibility, flexible timeline, compatibility with other funding sources, and integration of other landowner support such as burn training workshops.
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National Fish and Wildlife Foundation: Longleaf Landscape Stewardship Fund
- 2023 Request for Proposals in support of projects that restore, enhance, and maintain longleaf pine to improve wildlife habitat.
- Applicants are also encouraged to prioritize projects that:
- Provide co-benefits related to carbon sequestration and improving water quality
- Incorporate outreach, engagement, and collaboration with historically underserved communities
- Limited funding also available to support bottomland hardwood restoration and enhancement
activities.
- Applicant Webinar: December 8, 2022
- Proposal Deadline: February 2, 2023
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- Calling for research related to five topics:
- Longevity of fuel treatment effectiveness under climate change
- Fuels treatment effectiveness across landscapes
- Pre-fire management actions for reducing post-fire hazards
- Social and political factors that influence fire suppression and rehabilitation costs
- Regional science exchange and outreach.
- Also available: Graduate Research Innovation (GRIN) Award intended to support ongoing graduate work, especially to enhance its ties to real-world applications.
- Proposal Deadline: December 20, 2022
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- Available to nonprofits, universities, and federally-recognized Native American tribes
- Must benefit U.S. National Forests and Grasslands
- 1:1 nonfederal cash match
- Informational Webinar: December 8, 2022
- Round 1 Application Deadline: January 23, 2023
- Round 2 Application Deadline: May 18, 2023
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- 50% reimbursement for residents within their eight-county region to hire out a contractor or rent equipment to reduce their home’s risk of ignition from wildfire.
- Preference given to homes or communities within a moderate-to-high wildfire risk area. Check out this recently posted blog entry that explains the cost-share process.
- Funding available until December 2022
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- Calling for planning proposals focused on catalyzing innovative and inclusive wildland fire science through collaboration among diverse stakeholders and rights holders.
- Budget requests must not exceed $100,000 per year (including indirect costs) for a total of $200,000,
with a duration of up to 24 months.
- Proposal Deadline: May 31, 2023
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- Gainesville, GA
- Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society
- Application Deadline: Dec. 13
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- Asheville, NC
- Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society
- Application Deadline: Dec. 13
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Research Biological Scientist
- Auburn, AL
- USFS Southern Research Station
- Restoring and Managing Longleaf Pine Ecosystems Research Work Unit
- Interest Form Deadline: Dec. 1
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Kissimmee, FL + Virtual Option
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Prescribed Burner Certification Courses
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Hybrid: Online + Multiple Sites
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- Registration closed, check for last-minute openings
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- Currently full, check for last-minute
openings
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Prescribed Fire Training Opportunities
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- Potential Dates: Dec. 3, Dec. 10
- Hands-on experience for SBR PBA members
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- Burn Window: Dec. 1 - Dec. 15
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- Application Deadline: Dec. 15
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- Registration Deadline: Dec. 14
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Conferences, Workshops, Webinars, Festivals, and Other Events
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- *Being moved to in-person,
rescheduled
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Share your stories, events, and information in the next issue:
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