Fire is a form all of its own, but a simple way to understand fire is as a swarm. A swarm of bees. Or starlings. Or mosquitos. A spreading fire is a swarm of ignitions, a series of small fires over and over.

Season 4 of Forestcast is a series of fires, a series of voices. It’s a 360-degree introduction to fire from a scientific standpoint. The story of how fire research shapes our landscapes, and our lives.

Through kaleidoscoping voices from across the country, listeners will be taken inside the largest forest research organization in the world to hear from seventeen scientists on what they know, and don’t know, about one of the most complex elements in nature—fire.

In episode one, hear from research mechanical engineer, Sara McAllister, on the process of ignition; spatial fire analyst, Greg Dillon, on the timeline of fire management and research in the Forest Service; and research forester, Dan Dey, on the history of fire: where it was, where it’s been, and what can be done knowing its history?

Related Research:

Scientists:

Sara McAllister, Research Mech. Engineer, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, Montana
Greg Dillon, Spatial Fire Analyst, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Missoula, Montana
Dan Dey, Research Forester, Northern Research Station, Columbia, Missouri

Forestcast is an official USDA Forest Service podcast, and is produced by USDA Forest Service Research and Development.

Want more information? Visit us at https://www.fs.usda.gov/research/products/multimedia/forestcast

Questions or ideas for the show? Connect with Jon at jonathan.yales@usda.gov

This episode, we used the following archival recordings:

Afire: Understanding Fire 01:06:09 Share

Forestcast

Shownotes Transcript

Afire: Understanding Fire