This episode of the Living with Fire podcast talks with WLFW’s Joe Smith and Jeremy Maestas to discuss Smith’s fire probability maps for the Great Basin.
Episode Title: Predicting Fire in the Great Basin
Podcast: Living with Fire
Producer: Living with Fire / University of Nevada-Reno Extension
WLFW Experts: Joe Smith, WFLW-affiliated researcher, University of Montana and Jeremy Maestas, national sagebrush ecosystem specialist, USDA-NRCS West National Technology Support Center
Topic: How new technologies and annually updated maps are predicting rangeland fire in the Great Basin
Air Date: 6/16/23
Listen Time: 38:05
Episode Description: The connection between rain, snow, and fire risk in the Great Basin was the central topic of Episode 13 of the Living with Fire podcast. The podcast featured Christina Restaino, assistant professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, who discussed the topic with WLFW subject matter experts Joe Smith, a WLFW-affiliated research scientist at the University of Montana, and Jeremy Maestas, national sagebrush ecosystem specialist at the USDA-NRCS West National Technology Support Center.
Smith and Maestas are part of a team of researchers who developed a new method for predicting wildfire probability in the Great Basin based on vegetative growth. They developed the data into a tool that incorporates historical data and current conditions to provide fire probability maps, offering valuable insights for land managers in the region.
Maestas highlighted the impact of the increased vegetation growth, explaining, “All this growing vegetation production is going to build up out there, and there’s no amount of livestock and insects in the world that are going to eat it all. So, it’ll build up on the landscape and probably show up next year in the fire probability maps.”
Their research included 32 years of data detailing the natural wet and dry cycles characteristic of the Great Basin, shedding light on the implications of these patterns for risk of potential wildfires. “We should be particularly concerned when transitioning from a wet cycle to a dry one,” Smith advised.
What does all this mean for Great Basin residents? Restaino suggested a proactive approach, emphasizing the importance of creating defensible spaces around homes and collaborating with the community. This preparation will help residents stay vigilant in the face of potential fire risks in the coming year.
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