Fire has historically played an important role in shaping many ecosystems. Similarly, people have played different roles in shaping the way fire interacts with the landscape. Today, many fire-adapted ecosystems have been drastically altered by factors including fire suppression, grazing, climate change, and residential development.

Understanding the ecological role of fire and our human relationships to fire are essential for balancing the benefits and risks of various fire management strategies. Fire severity and frequency are increasing in many areas, as are related fatalities and firefighting costs. Therefore, in addition to the nature of fire behavior and ecology, fire-related research seeks to understand the needs of communities, how to protect our first responders, and the best ways to prepare for future fire. In an era of rapid change and increasing complexity, communities, fire managers, and scientists demand cutting-edge research, tools, and applications that together span the entire fire management cycle. 

In response to these challenges, the USDA Forest Service is treating high-risk landscapes within the National Forest System lands and working with partners from other federal, state, Tribal, and private lands. "Fuel treatments" refer to actions that reduce the amount of biomass that has accumulated in many western U.S. forests. Fuel treatments are intended to reduce the intensity and severity of future wildfires. Examples of fuel treatments include thinning overly dense forests, prescribed burning, and “mastication” or chipping small trees and shrubs.

Rocky Mountain Research Station scientists are continually asking and answering questions that support planning for fire, incident operations during wildfires, and recovery after fire. For nearly 100 years, we have worked closely with the fire community, land managers, and fire researchers worldwide to understand challenges and ensure focus on research and technical applications. Our work helps reduce risks from wildfires to people and communities, and helps describe beneficial fire effects to ecosystems, watersheds, wildlife habitat, and more. Read more in two new fact sheets:

Science Supporting Fire Management Science Supporting Fire Management (Two-page summary)

Featured Fire Research, Tools, and Products

Fire is a multi-faceted research topic. For more information on current research related to more specific aspects of fire, see the following pages:

Fuels  Fire Behavior  Safe and Effective ResponsePostfire Management 

Prescribed Fire  Smoke  Fire Ecology

Fire Research at the Rocky Mountain Research Station

Science Programs

All of our science programs study different facets of fire, contributing to every part of the fire cycle with foundational knowledge as well as more applied challenges like complex incidences, fire interactions with wildlife and other resources and social aspects of fire. For example, the Fire, Fuel, and Smoke science program, based at the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, conducts research to better understand fire behavior, fire and ecosystems, smoke emissions, and fire management systems. Additionally, the Human Dimensions science program conducts research related to fire management and risk mitigation, and wildfire social science. Our researchers and staff also develop and maintain numerous tools and applications related to fire prediction, wildfire risk management, decision support, and community interactions that are used in fire management operations around the world.

Research Groups

• The Wildfire Risk Management Science (WRMS) Team conducts research and develops related tools and processes that support an approach to wildfire management that centers risk assessment and long-term strategic planning.
• The Fire Modeling Institute (FMI) is a center of expertise that connects and supports managers, scientists, interagency partners, and the general public education needs and facilitates the conversion of complex multi-faceted fire science research into direct application and address fire and fuels management and education needs.
• The Wildfire Research (WiRE) Team works with communities susceptible to wildfire hazards to co-develop research and educational outreach about individual landowner and community preparedness for wildfire events. 

Interagency Centers

• The Wildland Fire Management Research, Development, and Application program promotes the application of wildland fire scientific knowledge, develops decision support tools, and provides science application services to the interagency wildland fire community.
• The National Fire Decision Support Center is a collaborative effort between Fire and Aviation Management and Research and Development. It is located at the National Interagency Fire Center and provides a key link between wildland fire science development and the appropriate application of that science.