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Search Fire
 Did you know? Fire has historically played an important role in shaping forest and grassland ecosystems. Many fire-adapted ecosystems have been altered by social and ecological factors including fire suppression, grazing, and residential development.
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    Fire
                            Fire has historically played an important role in shaping forest and grassland ecosystems. Many fire-adapted ecosystems have been altered by social and ecological factors including fire suppression, grazing, and residential development. Understanding the ecological role of fire is essential for balancing the benefits and risks of alternative fire management strategies.

Fire size, severity and frequency are on the rise, as are related fatalities and taxpayer-funded firefighting costs. In an era of rapid change and increasing complexity, fire managers and scientists demand cutting-edge research, tools, and applications.

Building on the Forest Service's legacy of nearly six-decades producing world-class wildfire science, we continually adapt to meet the needs of changing landscapes and the public. Our science is applied globally, and our products and tools are used widely by land managers and decision-makers. Forest Service fire management training programs are also directly informed by fire science research to enhance effectiveness and safety.

The fire science research portfolio includes fire behavior, fuels management and prescribed fire, risk management and social science, safe and effective fire response, and smoke. We invest in wildland fire research and development because fire shapes landscapes and lives.
      
                    
    
    

      Features
                            		
        							
        					March 2023: Research on the Past, Present, and Future of Wildfire
	
																												Pacific Northwest Research Station tackles the science behind 2020’s wild season of wildfire
	
																												The making of a megafire: Study explores why some wildfires grow fast and furious
  




      News
                            		
        							
        					Cutting Edge Research on Decision Support Systems for Wildland Fire

                            Date
            		October 19, 2021
                                                                        News Release
    
                                                        Inside the lab that starts fires for science

                            Source
            		WIRED

        	Date
            		January 11, 2023
                                                                        In the News
  



      Data and Tools
                            		
        							
        					Interactive Map
	
																						
	
								Understanding and Preparing for Fire
  






      Research Teams
                            		
        							
        					Laboratory
	
																						
	
								Pacific Wildland Fire Sciences Laboratory (Seattle)

												Station
            		Pacific Northwest Research Station

				

    States
        Washington
	

																						


									Center or Group
	
																						
	
								Wildfire Research (WiRē) Team

												Station
            		Rocky Mountain Research Station
	

																						


									Center or Group
	
																						
	
								Fire Modeling Institute

												Station
            		Rocky Mountain Research Station
	

																						


									Laboratory
	
																						
	
								Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory

												Station
            		Rocky Mountain Research Station
                            Last updated October 31, 2023
	

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