Joint Fire Science Program
The Joint Fire Science Program provides funding for scientific studies associated with wildland fire, fuels, and fire-impacted ecosystems that respond to the emerging needs of land managers, practitioners, and policymakers.
An employee collects scientific samples in a recently burned area. Photo by U.S. Geological Survey.
Quick Facts
40: research projects completed in Fiscal Year 2022
$12.9 million: amount allocated to this program in Fiscal Year 2022 ($6.9 million from Interior, $6 million from the U.S. Forest Service)
1998: year Joint Fire Science program was established by Congress
The Joint Fire Science Program provides funding for scientific studies associated with managing wildland fire, fuels, and fire impacts to ecosystems. Science and data are then used by land managers, practitioners, and policymakers at local, regional, and national levels. This work informs wildland fire policy and practical solutions leading to fire adapted communities and more fire-resilient landscapes. The program was established by Congress in 1998 and is jointly funded by the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service.
The Joint Fire Science Program plays a central role in delivering practical, science-based solutions and knowledge exchange by funding and managing the Fire Science Exchange Network. Fifteen regional fire science exchanges provide the most relevant, current wildland fire science information to Federal, Tribal, State, local, and private stakeholders within ecologically similar regions.
2022 Highlights
In fiscal year 2022, JFSP focused research dollars on key scientific needs; in particular, the social and ecological recovery of communities impacted by wildfire. This also includes collaborative ecosystem mapping for fire and fuels management.
FY2022 highlights include:
- The social and ecological recovery of communities impacted by wildfire: Inform the development or improvement of strategies, tools, and resources used for post-fire community recovery to facilitate recovery efforts that increase the resilience of social-ecological systems to future wildfires.
- Collaborative ecosystem mapping for fire and fuels management: capture current ecosystem conditions, desired conditions, and departure from desired conditions relevant to fire and fuels management decisions.
The JFSP Fire Science Exchange Network (FSEN) is a national collaboration of 15 regional fire science exchanges that provides the most relevant, current wildland fire science information to federal, state, local, Tribal, and private stakeholders within ecologically similar regions.
FY22 highlights include:
- Over 20,000 individuals participated in Fire Science Exchange Network organized wildland fire science delivery activities.
- Activities included hosting virtual conferences and webinars; developing factsheets; short courses and videos; actively disseminating fire science information on social media; and more.
- Exchanges delivered over 2,700 events and activities and developed over 8,700 posts on social media channels. The largest participant groups were federal agencies, state government, and the academic community.
Learn more, apply for funding, or browse ongoing and completed research projects at firescience.gov.
