KECK INSTITUTE FOR SPACE STUDIES

       

Image of forest woldfire Image of forest wildfire

A Year of Innovation and Action to Reduce Negative Impacts from Fires

Wednesday, May 11, 2022

10:00 AM - NOON Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Headshot of Rebecca Adler Miserendino against white background

Rebecca Adler Miserendino

Lewis-Burke

Headshot of Ann Bartuska against green background

Ann Bartuska

Environmental Defense Fund

Image of Genevieve Biggs, headshot in nature

Genevieve Biggs

Moore Foundation

Kendra McLauchlan

National Science Foundation

Jeff Rupert

Department of Interior Office of Wildland Fire

Natasha Stavros

CIRES, University of Colorado Boulder

Paul Steblein

Joint Fire Science Program

Sean Triplett

USFS/National Interagency Fire Center

Matt Weiner

United States Megafire Response

This workshop overviews efforts to coordinate fire research, management, policy, and technology development for coordinated action to reduce negative impacts from wildfire.  It builds on a workshop hosted by the Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS) in March 2021. Leading change agents in fire policy, technology, decision support, and science met to clearly define the roadblocks for real-time detection and tracking of the fires that matter. We define “the fires that matter” as megafires - or fires with great negative social impact. We outlined problems, solutions, and next steps needed to improve coordination related to:

  1. interagency organization;
  2. data and observations;
  3. research and development; and
  4. financing and business.

These led to four specific recommendations on a need for:

  1. an interagency, national strategy;
  2. fire-specific technology for accessible data collections;
  3. focus shift towards building resilient communities; and
  4. funding models that leverage government and private sector strengths.

Since this workshop, many major national efforts have occurred, including: national policies and funding, research agendas, agency coordination, and big technology investments.