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Fueling Collaboration: Considering the Impacts of Scale to Wildlife in Prescribed Fire Planning

Fueling Collaboration

Panel Discussion Series

A series of interactive panel discussions designed to connect fire managers and researchers. Each discussion will be built on questions from the registered attendees. We're working to bring people together to discuss, explore, and address the latest fire science and fire management issues across the eastern United States.

Considering the Impacts of Scale to Wildlife in Prescribed Fire Planning

Thursday, November 19, 2026 | 11am-12:30pm ET

It is widely recognized that many or most of our fire-dependent landscapes and species are suffering from a fire deficit. In an effort to increase area treated by fire, a common strategy is to conduct larger, often landscape-scale broadcast burns. Larger burns can also reduce financial costs. However, the ecological impacts on wildlife may not be equal or beneficial across treatment scales; for example, specialist species and those with restricted ranges could be disproportionately impacted.

In this Fueling Collaboration panel discussion, we will explore the trade-offs in the role of scale in prescribed fires. Our panelists will present their experiences and discuss research around fire effects on various taxa and operational considerations. We will explore strategies for increasing area burned without negatively impacting unique systems or at-risk species.​

This panel discussion has pending approval for 1.5 Category 1 CFE's by the Society of American Foresters.