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Greater sage-grouse in a field at dawn. Photo by Steve Fairbairn, USFWS.

A Project to Improve Sage-grouse Habitat in Idaho is also Reducing Wildfire Risk

Greater sage-grouse in a field at dawn. Photo by Steve Fairbairn, USFWS.

BY ERIN MCDUFF

The distinctive greater sage-grouse, with its spiked tail and memorable courtship display with male birds inflating their yellow neck sacs, is a ground-dwelling bird that lives in the sagebrush ecosystem in the western United States and portions of Canada. Its population is in decline due to habitat loss, and the greater sage-grouse is recognized as a sensitive species. It is also an indicator for the overall health of the complex, fragile sagebrush ecosystem.

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A 2019 fire at Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge.

Post-Fire Recovery Efforts Help Restore Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge

Keālia Pond National Wildlife Refuge visitors center as the 2019 fire approaches. Photo by USFWS.

BY KARI COBB

Known for their lush, tropical, humid climate, the Hawaiian Islands typically do not conjure images of wildfires, but wildfires do occur on the islands. Maui, the second largest Hawaiian island, is home to rainforests and mountains, but it also has arid desert climates, with some areas experiencing little to no rainfall and dry, sunny, hot weather for much of the year.

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Smoke rising from the Tamarack Fire. Photo by the Forest Service.

Increasing Wildfires Are Causing Greater Air Pollution

Smoke rising from the Tamarack Fire. Photo by the U.S. Forest Service.

BY PETER TEENSMA

Over the past 20 years, the number of acres burned annually in the U.S. due to wildfires has doubled. As wildfires increase, a copious amount of smoke is released into the air.

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A duff workshop offered by the Southern Fire Exchange in 2019. Photo by David Godwin, the Southern Fire Exchange.

Scientists Help Re-introduce Healthy Fire in Florida Forests

A duff workshop offered by the Southern Fire Exchange in 2019. Photo by David Godwin, the Southern Fire Exchange.

BY DAVID GODWIN 

When fire was re-introduced to long-unburned forests, fire managers at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida noticed large-scale mortality in overstory pines. They wanted to restore the fire-dependent forest ecosystems but were hesitant to apply prescribed fire until the cause of the tree mortality was identified. 

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NPS national fire planner Melissa Forder.

Opening Doors for Women in Fire with Melissa Forder

Melissa Forder, national fire planner with the National Park Service at the National Interagency Fire Center. Photo courtesy of Melissa Forder.

BY MELISSA FORDER, THAO TRAN, ERIN MCDUFF

“Instead of focusing on bullet points for my resume, I look at what I can do to open the doors for others.”

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Personnel complete a joint USFWS and CAL FIRE prescribed fire.

Keeping Good Company: A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and CAL FIRE Partnership, Part 3

USFWS and CAL FIRE personnel complete a prescribed fire along the roadside to protect access to public lands. Photo by USFWS.

BY KARI COBB

The South Central Valley Fire Management Zone in Merced County is among the busiest fire zones in California. Every year, the zone experiences 10 to 15 wildfires, many of which become large fires due to the mix of upland, wetland, and riparian vegetation combined with a dry climate and frequent windy conditions.

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