COURSES

In May 2021, Virginia Tech launched a new, undergraduate minor in Wildland Fire Ecology!!! Email Dr. Coates for more details about this minor ([email protected])

FREC 2514 wildland fire: Ecology and management

In this introductory course, students are exposed to the following:

• The history of wildland fire
• The role of fire and other natural disturbances in ecosystem development
• The essential ingredients of flames, fire behavior, and fire regimes
• Wildland fire management
• The use of prescribed fire (including the implementation of a prescribed burn, as weather permits)

With the assistance of the Virginia Department of Forestry, students are granted an opportunity to receive the training and credentials needed to become Type 2 Wildland Firefighters as part of this course. 

FREC 4414/5984 Advanced Wildland Fire Ecology and Management

In this advanced course, students explore the following topics in-depth:

• Wildland fire in the 21st century
• Fire regimes
• Fuels and fire behavior 
• Appalachian fire history and research

Laboratory sessions in this course are dedicated to field experimentation and hands-on research experience related to fuels, fire behavior, and prescribed fire implementation (as weather permits). 
Students in this course are granted an opportunity to become Certified Prescribed Burn Managers in the State of Virginia.