Wildland Fire Ecology at virginia tech
"It is small wonder that the ancients regarded fire, along with air, water, and land, as a basic element of the universe."
- Kenneth P. Davis, 1959
Wildland fire in the eastern United States...is that even a relevant topic?
In the 21st Century, wildland fire headlines are dominated by wildfires in the western United States.
The reason for this is justified: wildfires greater than 100,000 acres in size have been on the rise in recent years, particularly in the western United States.
In 2017, over 10 million acres in the United States were affected by wildfires.
Natural resources, property, and human lives are among the entities affected by this trend.
The story that is often overlooked, however, is that nearly that many acres, and even more in some years,
are managed with prescribed fire.
This is particularly true in the southeastern United States.
From Table Mountain pine communities in the Appalachians to longleaf pine savannas in the Coastal Plain, one does not have to venture too far in this region to see the true nature of managed fire on the landscape.
It is our endeavor through the wildland fire ecology program at Virginia Tech to aid in the discovery of how fire has shaped our landscapes, how it can be managed to prevent resource depletion, and how it can be utilized to conserve our natural systems in perpetuity.
- Kenneth P. Davis, 1959
Wildland fire in the eastern United States...is that even a relevant topic?
In the 21st Century, wildland fire headlines are dominated by wildfires in the western United States.
The reason for this is justified: wildfires greater than 100,000 acres in size have been on the rise in recent years, particularly in the western United States.
In 2017, over 10 million acres in the United States were affected by wildfires.
Natural resources, property, and human lives are among the entities affected by this trend.
The story that is often overlooked, however, is that nearly that many acres, and even more in some years,
are managed with prescribed fire.
This is particularly true in the southeastern United States.
From Table Mountain pine communities in the Appalachians to longleaf pine savannas in the Coastal Plain, one does not have to venture too far in this region to see the true nature of managed fire on the landscape.
It is our endeavor through the wildland fire ecology program at Virginia Tech to aid in the discovery of how fire has shaped our landscapes, how it can be managed to prevent resource depletion, and how it can be utilized to conserve our natural systems in perpetuity.