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.
