Wildfires have become a significant concern in the United States, causing substantial economic, environmental, and agricultural losses. The financial burden, regional impact, and seasonal length of wildfires have increased in recent decades, raising national and global concerns. In fact, since 2015, three of the five largest wildfire years for acreage burned in the United States have occurred. [Read more…] about The New Wildfire Season
Wildfire Preparedness: Protecting Your Ranch
Texas A&M AgriLife has released a new publication in preparing the ranch for wildfire!
Wildfire: Preparing the Ranch is an online educational resource debuting at Texas Panhandle wildfire preparedness educational meetings in Pampa and Canadian. The resource is designed to equip Texas agricultural producers with educational information and tools to prepare for wildfires.
[Read more…] about Wildfire Preparedness: Protecting Your Ranch
Wildfire Risk to Communities
What is Risk? Risk is the probability and consequences of uncertain future events. It is the framework for understanding the implications of decisions because the decisions we make all come with a tradeoff. Wildfire Risk is the likelihood of a wildfire occurring and the potential effects it would have on things we care about. Being able to estimate the likelihood and consequences of wildfires, we are better able to consider and plan for possible outcomes.
Future Wildfire Seasons: Hotter, Dryer, and Longer
A Fire danger index (FDI) is a measure that is used to assess the risk and severity of a fire. It relies on the combination of weather and fuel conditions. These FDI’s have been used to help predict and manage the risk of wildfires. Even with these tools, there is still uncertainty in predicting the likelihood of fire ignition or the potential size the fire can get.
In the study below, four of the FDI’s were analyzed and had a sensitivity analysis performed on them to determine the most important drivers. The sensitivity analysis determined that daily minimum relative humidity, precipitation, and wind speed were the most important driving factors in future wildfire dangers, including length of a wildfire season.
The study also included a regional climate model simulation to derive FDI’s for current and future climate conditions. The results from this simulation suggested that an overall increase in fire potential and a prolonged wildfire season is expected in our future Texas climate. Enhanced fire frequency and fire season length is expected to occur in Spring and Summer throughout the Southern Great Plains.
By 2050, the number of days with wildfire danger in Texas could increase by as many as 40 days per year with high heat and dry periods significantly lengthening the wildfire season.
For more information and to read the study below, click here – Earth s Future – 2023 – Yu – Performance of Fire Danger Indices and Their Utility in Predicting Future Wildfire Danger Over!
Yu, G., Feng, Y., Wang, J., & Wright, D. B. (2023). Performance of fire danger indices and their utility in predicting future wildfire danger over the conterminous United States. Earth’s Future, 11(11). https://doi.org/10.1029/2023ef003823
The Wildfire Impacts of the 2017-2018 Precipitation Whiplash Event across the Southern Great Plains
Above average precipitation during the growing season, spurring on massive amounts of grass growth, followed by significant drought, resulting in an intense wildfire season. All within a single year. It’s absolute whiplash! Sound familiar? Researchers recently examined the role of whiplash events where preceding precipitation produce massive fuel for wildfires in a short period of time using 2017-2018 in Texas and Oklahoma as a case study. While studies like these have been done in California, there have been limited studies like this across the Southern Great Plains. This study was the first time that the relationship among precipitation, vegetation, and wildfires have been looked at collectively across the Southern Great Plains!
Snow Hill Fire Lessons Learned
On August 2, 2023, the San Jacinto County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the Texas A&M Forest Service on a grass fire at FM 946 South and Harrell Road. A dominant upper-level ridge of high pressure resided over Texas from the middle of June through early August. These conditions resulted in flash drought conditions, which was only intensified by the well below normal rainfall.
National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy
This summer the National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy was released. The plan calls for six prescribed fire implementation teams to be created that will incorporate prescribed fire practitioners and expertise into a management structure. This concept would support the implementation of prescribed fire at multiple organizational and complex levels. These teams would be tailored to meet specific needs and facilitate multiple projects simultaneously. Each function that supports the implementation of prescribed burning can be scaled up or down at any level, to ensure that logistical, financial, planning, safety, and public information are staffed accordingly.
[Read more…] about National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy
Prescribed Fire Grants for Texas Plains Region are Open
The Texas A&M Forest Service is now accepting grant applications for the State Fire Assistance for Mitigation – Plains Prescribed Fire Grant through August 30th, 2023.
[Read more…] about Prescribed Fire Grants for Texas Plains Region are Open
Intense and Lengthened Fire Weather Conditions – Becoming More Common
As the peak of summer approaches, drought conditions become alarmingly extended, and extended triple digit heat cripples and crunches native grasses, and convective storms rage dry lightning, it’s crucial that ranchers equip themselves with the knowledge and tools to combat any extreme conditions, namely summer wildfire season. Fire weather days are a mix of low humidity, strong winds and high temperatures. The number of these days has increased in the lower 48 states in the past 50 years alone.
[Read more…] about Intense and Lengthened Fire Weather Conditions – Becoming More Common
Central Texas Fuels Reduction Grant
The Central Texas Fuels Reduction Grant has officially opened! This an opportunity for Central Texas Landowners to apply for the SFAM Mechanical Fuels Reduction Grant to help reduce risks posed to their property by wildfire.