RD&A Staff Attend 4th Fire and Fuels Conference

Wildland Fire management Research, Development, & Application (WFM-RD&A) staff participated in the International Association of Wildland Fire (IAWF) 4th Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference - At the Crossroads: Looking Toward the Future in a Changing Environment in Raleigh, North Carolina.  WFM-RD&A employees Tami Parkinson and Diane Rau served on the conference program committee with WFM-RD&A alums Tom Zimmerman and Laurie Kurth to develop a wide-ranging agenda.  A WFM RD&A booth was staffed which provided opportunities to interact with participants and provide information about the group's role in coordinating and fostering science application in wildland fire.  They used a touch-screen display to feature various aspects of the WFM RD&A.  Dan Mindar, Erin Noonan-Wright, and Laurie Kurth coordinated a workshop on advanced fire behavior analysis and lessons learned.  Diane Rau moderated a plenary session in which Program Manager Tim Sexton participated in discussing the changes in the fire environment. Ms. Noonan-Wright also presented a concurrent session regarding the effectiveness and longevity of fuels treatments in coniferous forests in California.  The conference provided a great opportunity to engage practitioners and scientists in the wildland fire community, and raise awareness of the role of WFM-RD&A supporting research, fire managers and decision makers.