The Burning Issues Workshop is an annual event hosted by the Michigan Prescribed Fire Council in-person and virtually to bring together professionals and anyone interested in prescribed fire from around Michigan to network and learn about current issues/topics in this field.

Click the link to redirect to this year’s event page for full details.

Application: To apply, complete the 2024 Southern Michigan TREX Application Form or at https://forms.office.com/r/nvMCJJL6LV   

Objectives: Provide prescribed fire training opportunities to local and regional fire practitioners while supporting management of natural resources on state, federal, and private lands.   

Target Group: Prescribed fire and wildfire personnel, including Department of Defense, National Guard, federal, state, tribal, and non-governmental agencies, private practitioners and university faculty and students.  

Registration Fee: The fee is $350 for non-DOD participants. DoD participants' fees are paid for by the Michigan Army National Guard. The fee for university students is $100. Waivers may be available for participants who bring equipment (e.g. engines, UTVs, etc.).  A limited number of scholarships may be available for participants.  Please note that the registration fee is not pro-rated based on the amount of time at TREX. 

Description: The training is organized as a Type III incident under the National Incident Management System. Participants will serve in NWCG qualified and trainee firefighting positions on a module and will assist with preparing, scouting, briefing, igniting, holding, mop-up, and patrol on numerous controlled burns in the area. Additional activities may include pre- and post-fire monitoring, training with equipment, practicing fireline leadership skills, and learning about local fire ecology and fire management. 

Requirements:  

1. Participants must be current and qualified NWCG-FFT2, or have completed NWCG courses S130, S190, L180, ICS 100b, I700A. Contact Meg O’Brien at megan.obrien@emberalliance.org for more information on these training sessions; verification of training is required to attend. 

2. Participants must have health insurance which will cover personal injury (e.g., workers’ comp, health or travel insurance) that may occur during the TREX.  

3. Participants must bring fire-approved boots (all leather, 8-inches tall, Vibram soles, with no steel toe). Participants should come with all appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), including: line gear, a Next Generation Fire Shelter, a hard hat, Nomex clothing, all leather gloves, eye protection and canteens for up to one (1) gallon of drinking water. If you do not have proper PPE, please indicate in the appropriate section of the Application Form. 

Meals & Travel: Participants are required to bring their own sleeping bags or linens along with a pillow.  Military barracks included in the fee. Military style barracks include shared bathrooms, showers, and indoor meeting space with internet.  Meals will be provided for all participants. 

Note: Shared or private motel style rooms are available for a fee of $22 – 31 per night (estimated). Camping is not allowed for this TREX. 

Registration via EventBrite

In-Person Registration Closes Jan 28

Online Registration Closes Feb 4

Burning Issues and Annual MPFC Meeting

This annual prescribed fire workshop is designed to enable land managers, researchers, resource specialists, biologists, ecologists and fire practitioners an opportunity to hear and learn from different areas of expertise in a format designed to identify gaps in knowledge and communication, and work toward solutions to issues that complicate our collective wildland fire and ecological restoration work.

The event will include two days of presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions geared toward protecting, conserving, and expanding the safe use of prescribed fire on Michigan’s landscape and beyond.

TOPICS

Topics this year will include cultural burning, smoke management, fire and herptiles, fire and bats, and more! A full schedule of sessions and speakers will be released prior to the event.

FOOD

Lunch will be provided Tuesday and Wednesday of the conference (please specify any dietary restrictions in your registration). There are places on-site and nearby to grab your own breakfasts and dinners.

VENUE

The workshop will be hosted in a facility at Fort Custer Training Center in Augusta, MI.

Virtual options are available to view the live stream and post questions via Microsoft Teams. A link will be e-mailed the day prior and morning of the event. Recordings will be available to all attendees after the event if consented by the presenters.

LODGING

The lodging at Fort Custer is a hotel-style private room with a bathroom shared with one other room (same gender). It costs $22.50-$30 per night. Breakfast is available at the cafeteria on site for additional cost. Call the Fort Custer office to book a room at 269-282-7508. Other hotel accommodations are also nearby in Augusta and Battle Creek.

COST

The cost for online and in-person registration is $90 (+$7.88 processing fee) for the two-day workshop. We appreciate your support as this covers the cost of the workshop and is our main source of income for the annual fire council budget.

Scholarships are available for students and those in financial need. Contact info@firecouncil.org prior to registration to receive a promo code for free online participation or $45 in-person participation. Presenters have the option to receive free registration, contact info@firecouncil.org for details.

SPONSORS/SILENT AUCTION

A silent auction will take place throughout Feb 6 with winners announced that evening to raise funds for the annual fire council budget to promote fire training and public outreach opportunities. Cash or Debit/Credit will be accepted from winners present that evening.

We are looking for sponsors! Contact info@firecouncil.org if you or your organization are interested in sponsoring and receive recognition and publicity based on the tier of your gift.

Sponsorship Levels

Fire Cache Level (In-kind): donate an item for our silent auction to help our annual fund (does not have to be fire related), your logo/name on item bid form. Contact Ashley Cole-Wick at colewick@msu.edu for silent auction contributions.

Drip Torch Level ($100): sponsor a student participant, your logo/name on sponsor slideshow

Backfire Level ($200): sponsor a speaker, custom slide on sponsor slideshow at event

Headfire Level ($500): sponsor a session, your logo/name on program material at event, name tagged on at least 1 social media post leading up to event, recognition during a session, 1 free registration

Burn Boss Level ($1000): event sponsor, your logo/name on program material at event, spoken recognition during event open/close, name tagged on all social media posts related to the event, 2 free registrations

2024 SPONSORS

Event Sponsor: Edward Lowe Foundation

Session Sponsors: Blue Heron Ministries, City of Ann Arbor Natural Areas Preservation, Native Connections

Scholarship Sponsors: OCBA Landscape Architects and David Borneman LLC

LSFSC’s Smoke TOOLS Workshop (in-person): Monday, Feb 5, 2024

LSFSC’s Smoke TOOLS Workshop (pre-workshop) will take place on Monday, February 5th from 10:00 am -5:00 pm (with a lunch break).

Location - Fort Custer Training Center, Fort Custer Education Center, Room E177

Instructors – Trent Wickman and Alexia Prosperi, Air Resource Specialists with the Eastern Regional Office, USDA Forest Service.

Overview - Smoke management and smoke hazards are one of the most important things to plan for and manage when doing a prescribed burn, or to consider during any wildfire suppression. This is an active participation “hands-on” workshop where we will work through exercises using online smoke tools. This is a good introductory workshop for anyone – those who have not had much smoke modeling and management exposure, or as an excellent refresher for those who have had another smoke course.

Registration and Fee - There is $25 non-refundable fee to participate. Registration is required and is only open to those who also register to attend the Michigan Prescribed Fire Council’s Annual Meeting / Burning Issues Workshop on February 6-7, 2024. Space is limited to 35 in-person participants and will be on a first-come first-serve basis. Once you register you will receive an email confirmation, the required pre-work (pre-work is minimal), the agenda, and other instructions (email will come from mcgowan-stinski.1@osu.edu). If space is still available two-weeks prior to the workshop, registration will open to those not attending Burning Issues as well an announcement will be made at that time: contact info@firecouncil.org to be added to the notification list.

This opportunity provided in partnership with Lake States Fire Science Consortium and Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium.

We Want Your Photos!

Campaign #miflames on Facebook and Instagram @mifirecouncil

We know you are out there hard at work getting fire on the ground! Photography can be a powerful tool in sharing experiences, sparking curiosity, raising awareness and stoking motivation! Help us reach a broader audience and encourage a fire culture in Michigan by taking a minute to enter your photos or by sharing our posts @mifirecouncil April through August!

Simplified Competition:

Use #miflames and @mifirecouncil in the description on your post featuring prescribed fire related content! If your photo has the most likes by September, you will qualify for a $25 gift card to buy MI PFC merchandise. Posts will be shared on the MI PFC Instagram and Facebook story if content is deemed appropriate (does not have to meet all of the rules required for the Burning Issue feature competition).

Full Competition:

Enter your photos and a short sentence about your burn/habitat via one of the attached forms below and we’ll feature you on our social media pages (Facebook and Instagram @mifirecouncil) and/or newsletters!

• Submit up to 25 entries of different photos!

• Winner receives $25 gift card to MI PFC Merchandise and their photo featured in 2024 Burning Issues Workshop content!

• Open to all participants as long as photos are related to Midwest US prescribed fire activities or fire-adapted habitats

• Follow us on social media April through August to help us choose a winner by liking and sharing your favorite photo posts!

Google Log-in Required to Upload Photos Online

OR

Download Entry Form as Word Doc or PDF below and

E-mail with Photos to info@firecouncil.org

SUBMISSION:

• Rolling submission accepted April-August 2023.

• Entries will be posted within the following month of submission.

PHOTO CRITERIA:

1. Photos must be formatted as .jpeg, .jpg, or .png.

2. Photos must not infringe on copyright and are the property of yourself/your organization with permission given the MI Prescribed Fire Council for sharing your photos publicly (if source/photographer desires to be mentioned please include their name in the entry form)

3. Photos must be related to prescribed fire or fire adapted communities/activities in the Midwest US

4. All people in photos of active fire must be wearing PPE and practicing safety (to qualify for feature of Burning Issues)

5. If children's faces are in the images, you have consent from their parents that these photos can be shared publicly or have blurred/blocked their faces

6. Photos are appropriate/ethical content for a general audience (rated G) (Do NOT include images of dead or injured wildlife/people, profane words, indecent exposure, etc.)

7. Submitted photos will remain in MI PFC holding for future use on social media, website, and newsletters as MI PFC desires.

   
   

   CONTEST RULES:

1. Photos must meet all Photo Criteria to qualify for feature as Burning Issues (if not all criteria are met, photos can still be considered for winning MI PFC merchandise)

2. Each submission to this form may consist on 1-5 different photos (MI PFC reserves the right to post 1 or up to 5 photos you submit in a single post). Each submission will only be posted once during the contest window April-Aug.

3. Submitted photos will be posted to @mifirecouncil Facebook and Instagram pages on a rolling basis as submissions are entered April-August 2023. Follow our feed or include a tagged handle to be sure not to miss yours!

4. Submission limit, 25 entries with different photos (each submission = 1 post consisting of 1-5 photos each) per individual.

5. Winner will go to the individual that submits the photo(s) that receive the most likes on Facebook/Instagram combined.

6. Winner will be announced in September and their photo will be featured in content related to the Burning Issues Workshop and Annual MI PFC Meeting in February 2024

7. Winner will receive a $25 gift card to MI PFC Merchandise.

Instagram Live Feed @mifirecouncil

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED

Registrants, please check your e-mail (check you spam/trash for emails from EventBrite and/or sdiep@naturecenter.org) for details and agenda with virtual links. Sessions will start promptly at 9:00am (EST) Feb 7 & 8

Contact info@firecouncil.org for any technical issues.

This annual prescribed fire workshop is designed to enable land managers, researchers, resource specialists, biologists, ecologists and fire practitioners an opportunity to hear and learn from different areas of expertise in a format designed to identify gaps in knowledge and communication, and work toward solutions to issues that complicate our collective wildland fire and ecological restoration work.

The event will include presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions geared toward protecting, conserving, and expanding the safe use of prescribed fire on Michigan’s landscape and beyond.

IN-PERSON LOCATION: Camp Grayling, Building 601 H, Grayling, MI

ATTENDANCE ONLINE or IN-PERSON: $90 per person

Deadline for in-person registration Jan 22, 2023

Deadline for online registration Jan 29, 2023

This year's event will be in-person with an online live interaction option. Both in-person and online will have the same attendance fee. This event functions as our annual revenue generating event. All profits support the efforts of the Michigan Prescribed Fire Council and allow us to maintain free council membership for a variety of professionals that volunteer their time to collaborate and push initiatives to further prescribed fire safety and capacity in Michigan. We appreciate your support!

STUDENTS & FINANCIAL NEED:

Speakers and panelists will be given a promo code to register for free. Students and individuals with financial need can contact info@firecouncil.org for a promo code for free online participation or 50% off in-person cost.

LODGING:

Limited free lodging is available at Camp Grayling military billets (Building 654Q) upon request, email info@firecouncil.org with names, emails, and phone numbers for all guests requesting to stay to reserve your spots. We have 50 rooms available first-come first-serve. Rooms have 2 beds and a private bathroom with key entry. Bring your own bedding, pillow, towels, soap, toilet paper, etc. and clean your room prior to check out. Check in available Feb 6-8 or Feb 7-8. There are not kitchen or cafeteria facilities so you will need to go into town for dinner.

OR arrange your own lodging at nearby hotels or AirBnB in the Grayling area.

SCHEDULE:

DAY ONE (8:00am-4:00pm) will include presentations by professionals in the non-profit, private, state, and military sectors on the following topics. Panel sessions will include a brief presentation by each panelist followed by a Q&A with all panelists on that topic.

• KEYNOTE: Game Bird Habitats

  • Don Bonnette, Forester MI DNR

• Panel 1: Birds and Prescribed Fire

  • Mike Monfils, Michigan Natural Features Inventory

  • Mitch Lettow, Southwest Michigan Land Conservancy

  • Rich Keith, Director of Kalamazoo Valley Bird Observatory

• Panel 2: Oak Savanna Management

  • Jesse Lincoln, Conservation Ecologist at Michigan Natural Features Inventory

  • Justin Heslinga, Conservation Director of Land Conservancy of West Michigan

  • Mary Parr, Stewardship Manager at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

• Panel 3: Prescribed Fire Monitoring and Research

  • Brian Stearns, US Forest Service Huron-Manistee National Forest

  • Todd Aschenbach, Professor at Grand Valley State University

  • Tyler Allyn-White, Research Biologist at Kalamazoo Nature Center

• Panel 4: Prescribed Fire in the Urban Interface

  • Katie Carlisle, Natural Resources Coordinator at Huron-Clinton Metroparks

  • Dave Borneman, David Borneman, LLC - Restoring Nature with Fire

  • Lee Osterland, Fire Specialist MI DNR

4-6pm Social Networking, Silent Auction, and Libations led by Ryan Koziatek, Stewardship Field Director at Kalamazoo Nature Center Wine and beer provided free of charge. Silent Auction winners will be announced at 5:00pm

DAY TWO (8:00am-3:00pm)

• Public Strategic MI PFC Annual Meeting All MI PFC Steering Committee members and representatives of organizations involved with fire throughout Michigan are highly encouraged to attend to discuss barriers to implementing fire in Michigan and potential solutions. (A link to this session will be sent out separately to include those not attending Burning Issues).

• Introduction to Burn Plan Writing Skill-Building Workshop: an introductory walk through of the NWCG 484-1 Prescribed Fire Planning Form aimed towards entry-level prescribed fire participants interested in learning more specifics of planning how prescribed fire is implemented. This workshop is not an official certification program but will help attendees build more advanced skills. This session is highly encouraged for those that plan to participate in the upcoming TREX.

MENU:

We encourage everyone to bring your own thermos/mug and a water bottle to reduce waste!

Both days will have coffee and grab-and-go breakfast/snacks (such as fruit, granola bars, donuts, etc.) available throughout the morning.

Lunch Day 1: Fajita Bar

Beer and Wine will be provided during the Social Networking

Lunch Day 2: Breakfast Burrito Bar

*If you have dietary restrictions that you are concerned about, please leave notes in your registration or contact info@firecouncil.org before Jan 30 and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

CALL FOR SPONSORS: Financial or In-Kind Items (for silent auction fundraiser)

The Council is seeking organizations to sponsor this event. Sponsors can choose a session to sponsor (covering the cost of speakers and panelists), contribute to student attendance scholarships, or donate to the event/council in general. Depending on the level of support, sponsors will have their logo displayed on the slideshows and event program and in social media, e-mail notifications related to the event and a free ticket to the event. Please contact info@firecouncil.org for more information on the different levels and benefits.

This annual wildland fire workshop is designed to enable land managers, researchers, resource specialists, biologists, ecologists and fire practitioners an opportunity to hear and learn from different areas of expertise in a format designed to identify gaps in knowledge and communication, and work toward solutions to issues that complicate our collective wildland fire work.

The event will include presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions geared toward protecting, conserving, and expanding the safe use of prescribed fire on Michigan’s landscape and beyond. Specific sessions this year will focus on lessons learned during the Brittle Fire incident, Michigan’s Certified Burn Manager Program, fire collaboratives, growing-season fire, smoke management, and more!

This year’s event will be hosted virtually via Zoom.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

9:00am to 12:00pm (EST)

Feb 1 & 2, 2022

$25 per registrant for two day virtual event

Contact info@firecouncil.org if the cost of the event prevents your participation; scholarships are available.

Registration closes 1/31/22 at 11:30pm

Link to Zoom event will be emailed to participants the day prior to the event (January 31, 2022) and the morning of each event day via EventBrite.

Recordings of the sessions will be available after the event. Please register to be sure you are notified when the recordings are posted.

If you cannot find the link in the e-mail or other technical difficulties, please contact:

Day 1 Tech Assistance: Amy at amy.frye@usda.gov

Day 2 Tech Assistance: Jack at mcgowan-stinski.1@osu.edu or a text to 989-287-1734

AGENDA