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GoFundMe Established for Injured Oklahoma Firefighter

A GoFundMe has been established for Tanner Wilson, an Oklahoma Forestry Services firefighter who was injured in an entrapment and burnover in September. Tanner faces a long recovery and rehabilitation, and donations will be used to help him and his family through that process.

Image: Tanner Wilson

Credit: Michelle Finch-Walker, GoFundMe

WTREX 2020 Accepting Applications

The 4th Women-in-Fire Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (WTREX) will take place March 30-April 10, 2020, in southeastern Virginia. Applications for participation are being accepted through December 13, 2019.Please share this announcement, and encourage people of all backgrounds, genders, and professional affiliations to apply! Though WTREX has a focus on women in fire, it is meant to bring together a diverse group, including men, international participants, and people from all walks of life.

Fall 2019 Southern Area Wildfire Risk Assessment Released

In late September, the Southern Area Coordination Center released the Fall 2019 Southern Area Wildfire Risk Assessment. The assessment notes, in part, that "Based on current fuel conditions and forecasted weather conditions, the most likely scenario is an above average level of wildfire activity for the next month and beyond." 

Florida Updates Prescribed Fire Policies

Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture has announced new statewide safety rules about prescribed burns, which primarily include more restrictions on burning fields of sugarcane. The new rules also require a review of an quality index and weather models before authorization is given to begin burns anywhere in Florida. The state also announced plans to introduce a new software called fiResponse, which will provide the public with online fire maps and improve information for wildfire first responders.

Longleaf Groundcover Working Group Seeks Information on Best Practices

The America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative Groundcover Working Group is seeking to provide information about groundcover restoration best practices. In order to do this, the working group is gathering information to build a database of projects that can be accessed through a StoryMap format online. Those with information to share should submit this form to Carol Denhof at [email protected] as soon as possible.

Project Examines Marsh Bird Response to Prescribed Fire

A new project will examine how three bird species of concern (black rail, yellow rail, and mottled duck) respond to different prescribed fire management regimes within high marsh ecosystems across the Gulf of Mexico. Project collaborators expect the work will result in computer models of co-occurrence, distribution, and abundance for each of the three species of concern, as well as information on potential trade-offs for prescribed fire application in high marsh ecosystems.

Women in Fire - Featured Stories

Two publications recently featured women working in fire management. Wilma Magazine featured The Nature Conservancy's Angie Carl, while the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences published a piece on NCMNS Educator and North Carolina burn boss Erin Apple.

Image: Angie Carl in Wilma Magazine

Credit: Terah Wilson

Image: Workshop attendees on the field tour

Credit: Laurel Kays, SFE

SFE Feedback Survey

SFE is collecting feedback on their programming. This information will be used to shape future programming in order to better meet the needs of the Southeast fire community.

All jobs are open as of the Driptorch Digest send date, however application reviews may have begun.

Forest and Fire Ecology PhD Assistantship - The University of Montana Wilderness Institute is seeking to fill a PhD assistantship to work on a funded project entitled "Ecosystem Response to Fire in the Wilderness." Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning November 8, 2019. 

Assistant Professor of Forest Health and Fire Protection - Alabama A&M University is accepting applications for a nine-month academic appointment with additional three-month summer employment available and expected. The application deadline is November 10, 2019.

Virginia Burn Crew Managers and Members - The Nature Conservancy in Virginia is hiring a Burn Crew Manager and four Burn Crew Members. Applications are due by November 25, 2019.

Land Management Technician - The Orianne Society is hiring a staff member to participate in land management operations, maintenance, and management, including wildland fire management. Applications are due by November 29, 2019.

Texas Longleaf Implementation Team Coordinator - The Texas LIT is seeking a coordinator to lead the partnership. Applications will be accepted until a suitable candidate is found.

Veterans Fire Corps - The Student Conservation Association is accepting applications from post-9/11-era US military veterans for its Fire Corps internships. Additional information and the application portal can be found on the  program website.

Fire Ecology Internships - The Fire Ecology Program at Tall Timbers Research Station and Land Conservancy in Tallahassee, FL seeks to provide field and laboratory experience for college students and recent graduates in the areas of plant ecology, ecosystem ecology, and fire ecology and science. Most internships last 12-16 weeks and are largely fieldwork based. Summer interns work from May-August and Fall interns work from October-December.   Get full details and application instructions here.

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