May 13, 2025 at 3pm ET
Hosts: Zav Grabinski and Heather McFarland
Wildfire activity in Alaska is increasing and becoming less predictable as rapidly warming temperatures and longer growing seasons alter the state's environment. In this webinar co-hosted by the Alaska Fire Science Consortium and the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy, Zav Grabinski and his collaborators will describe the vast, complex, and changing wildfire environment in Alaska. They’ll explain recent trends and science findings, like the lengthening wildfire season, more wildfire in western Alaska, and the link between early snow melt in spring and a bigger wildfire season. The webinar will also showcase ways that wildfire managers and scientists work together to improve wildfire-related decision making and the public’s understanding of these topics. This webinar will highlight information shared in the recently released Alaska’s Changing Wildfire Environment 2.0. This report provides timely, reliable and understandable information about wildfire trends in Alaska, their impacts to humans and wildlife, and how science can improve wildfire management. Grabinski is a geospatial analyst and data visualization specialist who helps to make Alaska-specific wildfire and climate data relevant to Alaskans. Members of the wildfire management community will discuss this wildfire season and other management considerations. They will be joined by science communicator Heather McFarland who will talk about creating tools for scientists and managers to more effectively communicate about wildfire to public audiences and beyond.
