Wildfire Wednesdays #30: Wildfire Wednesdays Live - Summary of Funding Opportunities

Hi Fireshed Members,

Our thoughts are with Mora and Colfax County communities that are being effected by the Luna Fire burning on The Carson National Forest. We especially recognize the hard work of our first responders during the 2020 fire season.

We can all support our first responders by opening up discussion about wildfire preparedness in our communities and by taking action to get good fire back on the landscape. Talk to your neighbors about the difference between prescribed fire and wildfire. If you don’t know what to say, use your network to find the best available information about your concerns.

This Wildfire Wednesday features:

• Wildfire Wednesday Live: Meet Research Ecologist Ellis Margolis

• A Summary of Funding Opportunities for Wildfire Mitigation

Thanks!

Gabe

Wildfire Wednesdays Live: Meet Research Ecologist Ellis Margolis

Join us tonight at 6 p.m. (MT) to learn more about how dendrochronology (the study of tree rings) informs our understanding of fire’s role in forest ecosystems! We will be monitoring and answering questions during the Wildfire Wednesday Live Event hosted by the Greater Santa Fireshed Coalition.

To access the livestream, click here. https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF

Featured Speaker: Ellis Margolis, Ph.D. - Research Ecologist at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) New Mexico Landscapes Field Station, based in Santa Fe, NM. #WildfireWednesday

 

A Summary of Funding Opportunities for Wildfire Mitigation

This is an excellent resource. Have you wondered how to get funding to complete wildfire mitigation projects in your community?

Take a look at the attached document to see a list of funding opportunities that are available to you in New Mexico. Be aware that some of these opportunities are internal to agencies and would require collaboration with your local agency representatives. Reach out to others in the FAC NM network if you have questions about how to approach these various programs.

To view the full summary, click here.

Wildfire Wednesdays #29: Becoming a Fireshed Ambassador - Pyne Article - Virtual Fire Summit

Hi Fireshed Members,  

There are a lot of exciting things on the horizon for The Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition in 2021. In the wake of the uncharacteristically destructive 2020 wildfire season, we all want to develop the community connections and wildfire mitigation projects that will keep us safe in 2021. To help us make strides towards a community wildfire resilience, help The Fireshed identify and recruit community ambassadors this Fall and Winter! Full details are below.  

This Wildfire Wednesdays features:  

• Information on recruiting or becoming a Fireshed Ambassador for your community 

• Why We Must Learn to Live with Fire: An Article by Stephen Pyne 

• 2020 Virtual Wildland Urban Fire Summit Next Week: Join for Free! 

Thanks,  

Gabe 

Becoming a Fireshed Ambassador 

The Fireshed Neighborhood Ambassador approach means engaging with your neighborhood to help them understand their wildfire risk and encourage and motivate residents to take action to reduce that risk. This approach builds community and promotes taking personal responsibility for where you live – which is in a fire adapted ecosystem! Within this program, offerings can be tailored to the needs and context of a community while still meeting the overarching purpose.

For full information on becoming a Fireshed Ambassador, click here.

There are numerous benefits to the Fireshed Ambassador approach - whether you are an Ambassador or a community member working with your local ambassador.

• Engaging your neighbors to take action in targeted high wildfire risk neighborhoods

• Accomplishing actions like improving egress and access, reflective signage, home hardening and evacuation preparedness projects in addition to fuels reduction around homes.

• Enhancing relationships with fire departments and local forest and fire professionals

• Building a network of residents who can share their experiences and help other residents as they begin their efforts for the benefit of the whole community.

• Building a network of supporters who can encourage and support city and county wildfire policies and codes.

• Increasing community capacity and preparedness in the event of a wildfire.

Our Burning Planet: Why We Must Learn to Live with Fire 

KYLE GRILLOT/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

By suppressing all wildfires and incessantly burning fossil fuels, humans have upset the role that fire has historically played in providing ecological balance. We need to rethink our view of fire and accept its presence by changing how we manage lands and plan our communities. 

In his article “Our Burning Planet: Why We Must Learn to Live with Fire,” environmental and fire historian Stephen Pyne describes three important paradoxes:  

1. The more people attempt to take fire out of places that have co-evolved or co-existed with it, the more conditions change that worsen the fire scene. 

2. Despite the expansion of feral flames, so abundantly recorded in global media, the amount of land burned on Earth continues to shrink. 

3. As we ratchet down our binge-burning of lithic landscapes by cutting our use of fossil fuels, we will have to ratchet up our burning of living landscapes. 

To read the full article, click here. 

2020 Virtual Wildland Urban Fire Summit: Join for Free 

Join this informative event, next week. 

Fire season is a challenging time let alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local governments, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations that have a passion for fire prevention will host a virtual NM Wildland Urban Fire Summit (WUFS) on Thursday, October 22 and Friday October 23, 2020. The event provides a continuous effort among community leaders, fire responders, and government personnel to share the latest techniques, cohesive strategies, and resources for wildfire adaption and economic resiliency, wildfire preparedness, and planning.   

Registration is open until the day of the summit at no charge. Registration is available at https://www.nmcounties.org/calendar/.   

Wildfire Wednesdays #28: Wildfire Wednesdays Live - Forest Birds and Megafires

Hi Fireshed Members,

Tonight we are debuting Wildfire Wednesdays Live! Pop some popcorn or grab your favorite snack and tune in to the first speaker of the series!

This week’s Wildfire Wednesdays features:

• Information about the first Wildfire Wednesdays Live with speaker Jame Melonas, Forest Supervisor and community leader for The Santa Fe National Forest.

• An article from The Audubon Society about how megafires effect forest birds, such as owls and woodpeckers

Best,

Gabe

Tonight at 6pm: Wildfire Wednesdays Live Speaker Series!

Please join us for the kickoff of Wildfire Wednesdays Live tonight, October 7th at 6:00pm. James Melonas, The Santa Fe National Forest Supervisor, will give a (re)-introduction to the concept of a ‘Fireshed.’

To access the livestream, click here. https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF

The event will be streamed over the Santa Fe National Forest’s Facebook page. Go to the page to watch!

The Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition is excited to introduce Wildfire Wednesdays Live. This speaker series will feature weekly presentations with forestry and fire personalities that will build common understanding and deepen our conversation about wildfire prevention and preparedness. Please join us for the kickoff of Wildfire Wednesdays Live tonight, October 7th at 6:00pm. Come for the speakers, stay for the interactive Q&A in the chat. Save-the-date and stay tuned for more information.

Recent ‘Megafires’ Imperil Even Fire-Loving Forest Birds

Many birds, such as owls and woodpeckers, thrive in forest habitats created after fire. But the hotter, bigger, more destructive megafires out West might be too much even for them. A recent article by Deborah Petersen with The Audubon Society tells the story of how over 20 years of Spotted Owl Research in California was used to better understand how Spotted Owls respond to fires. This research provides a window into what might occur in the future if more fires continue to grow in frequency and severity, which they are predicted to.

To read the full story, click here.

Wildfire Wednesdays #27: Wildfire Wednesdays Live! - FAC NM Leader Profile - Era of Megafires

Hi Fireshed Members,

Fall provides an important time to reflect. After a busy spring and summer, let’s take some time to acknowledge what worked and what didn’t in our wildfire preparedness and community resilience activities. This is how we build community resilience and adapt through time. Please share your stories with us!

This week’s Wildfire Wednesday features:

• Wildfire Wednesdays Live Speaker Series: Debut October 7th, 6:00pm

• A 20-minute version of Paul Hessburg’s Era of Megafires

Best,

Gabe

Wildfire Wednesdays Live Speaker Series Debut!

The Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition is excited to introduce Wildfire Wednesdays Live. This speaker series will feature weekly presentations with forestry and fire personalities that will build common understanding and deepen our conversation about wildfire prevention and preparedness. Presentations will be livestreamed through The Santa Fe National Forest Facebook and weekly links will be provided in our regular Wildfire Wednesdays newsletters. Please join us for the kickoff of Wildfire Wednesdays Live on October 7th at 6:00pm. Come for the speakers, stay for the interactive Q&A in the chat. Save-the-date and stay tuned for more information.

Era of Megafires: Now Available to the Public

Era of Megafires Official Trailer. To watch the full 20-minute version, click the link below

Megafires, wildfires over 100,000 acres, are currently burning our western landscape. How did we get here and what can be done about it? Dr. Paul Hessburg, research landscape ecologist for the US Forest Service, has spent the last 40 years learning about how we got here and what can be done about it.

Watch the full film here: https://vimeo.com/313468778

Wildfire Wednesdays #26: Virtual WUI Summit (WUFS) - How do Homes Burn?

Hi Fireshed Members,  

With so many motivated individuals involved in wildfire preparedness in our communities and across the country there is always something to share through Wildfire Wednesdays. This week I am excited to help promote The 2020 virtual Wildland Urban Fire Summit. If you or those in your community would like to share information or an event through Wildfire Wednesday, please reach out.  

This week’s Wildfire Wednesday features:  

• Information about the 2020 Virtual Wildland Urban Fire Summit 

• A Video by the National Fire Protection Assocition (NFPA) about how homes ignite from wildfire. 

Stay connected,  

Gabe 

The 2020 Virtual Wildland Urban Fire Summit: Register Today! 

Fire season is a challenging time let alone during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local governments, state and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations that have a passion for fire prevention will host a virtual NM Wildland Urban Fire Summit (WUFS) on Thursday, October 22 and Friday October 23, 2020. The event provides a continuous effort among community leaders, fire responders, and government personnel to share the latest techniques, cohesive strategies, and resources for wildfire adaption and economic resiliency, wildfire preparedness, and planning.  

Registration is open until the day of the summit at no charge. Registration is available at https://www.nmcounties.org/calendar/.  

How do Homes Burn Down in Wildfires? 

Hint: They're not typically overcome by flames. As historic wildfires sweep the western United States, this episode of Learn Something New by NFPA Journal examines the facts of home wildfire ignition and some of the things homeowners can do right now to protect their properties. 

To check Check out this awesome video and find ways that you can protect your home, click here.