Sixth Annual Burning Issues Workshop and Michigan Prescribed Fire Council Annual Meeting
“Focus on Change”
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. Over the two days we will explore topic areas that are relevant across the State of Michigan and the Upper Midwest, and have interactive opportunities such as panel discussions and breakouts. These topics are planned with and for the diverse community interacting around fire-related issues, and seek to further understanding and communication to support continued work toward collaborative fire management and research solutions.
When: February 4 & 5, 2020
Where: Fort Custer National Training Center (FCTC), 1109 Denso Rd, Battle Creek, MI 49037 (42.329729, -85.287916)
Registration: Thanks to Fort Custer Training Center (FCTC) we are able to keep costs low with a reasonable registration fee (includes lunch, snacks and coffee both days): Regular registration is $75. A reduced rate of $35 is available for students/volunteers/private landowners, but there is a limited quantity of these reduced registration slots.
NEW this year - In an effort to increase participation from Tribal communities, we are offering this event FREE to the first 10 tribal members who register - requires a specific promo code
NEW this year – we are also offering this event FREE to the first 5 volunteer fire department fire officers who register - requires a specific promo code
Please contact Jack McGowan-Stinski or Craig Maier to get the reduced rate promo code.
Lodging: Available at FCTC at a maximum rate of $50/night. Rooms can be reserved by calling 269.731.6126. Other lodging options are available in Kalamazoo, MI.
Registration Link: Click here!
General Agenda:
Click here to register!
Burning Issues 2020 - Two Breakout Sessions:
Growing Season Burns and Fire Seasonality
Summary under development
Increasing Prescribed Fire Capacity
Practitioners at Burning Issues 2018 and 2019 identified lack of trained crew members and fluctuations of support within organizations as major barriers to fire management. Discussions will focus on ways to increase prescribed fire capacity within your organizations, and the session will dedicate time to identifying possible actions. In addition to capturing and summarizing notes from this session, we aim to identify “success stories” to share examples of how individuals and organizations have grown prescribed fire capacity. Several success stories are needed to represent different contexts faced by prescribed burn programs across Michigan and the region. Please join us whether you have challenges or successes to share!
Topics to share: Working with volunteers; Partnering with colleges to create opportunities for students; Utilizing contractors effectively; Building support within an organization.
Outcomes: Contact list for follow up discussions among participants; Summary article and 3-4 case studies; Suggestions for audiences and topics for future Burning Issues Workshops; Increasing numbers of people involved with the Michigan Prescribed Fire Council’s activities focused on this strategic issue.
Note: This session will not address strategies to raise awareness among the general public or how to encourage private landowners to begin using fire on their land. Those topics are critical, yet outside the scope of this breakout session, in which we will focus on what we can do within our organizations.
The 2019 Burning Issues Workshop is hosted and sponsored by: Michigan National Guard, Michigan Prescribed Fire Council, the Lake States Fire Science Consortium, and the Tallgrass Prairie and Oak Savanna Fire Science Consortium.
