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Yes. The USGS Wildland Fire Science Program produces information to identify the causes of wildfires, understand the impacts and benefits of both wildfires and prescribed fires, and help prevent and manage larger, catastrophic events. Our fire scientists provide data, tools and information that are used by fire and land managers to make decisions before, during, and after wildfires in ecosystems across the U.S.
Studied topics include:
Dynamics and risks
Geological and hydrological process effects
Geospatial and remote sensing applications
The human dimension
Management tools
Plant, animal, and ecosystem effects
Restoration and recovery
The USGS operated the Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination (GeoMAC) website from 2000-2020. GeoMAC was the public face of all wildland fire perimeters. That site was shut down on April 30, 2020 and responsibility for wildfire information was transferred to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The GeoMAC mapping application at "geomac.gov" has been replaced by the National Fire Situational...
There isn’t a direct relationship between climate change and fire, but researchers have found strong correlations between warm summer temperatures and large fire years, so there is general consensus that fire occurrence will increase with climate change. Hot, dry conditions, however, do not automatically mean fire—something needs to create the spark and actually start the fire. In some parts of...
Wildland fires are inevitable in the western United States. Expansion of human development into forested areas has created a situation where wildfires can adversely affect lives and property, as can the flooding and landslides that occur in the aftermath of the fires. There is a need to develop tools and methods to identify and quantify the potential hazards posed by landslides produced from...
Scientists have predicted that long-term effects of climate change will include a decrease in sea ice and an increase in permafrost thawing, an increase in heat waves and heavy precipitation, and decreased water resources in semi-arid regions. Below are some of the regional impacts of global change forecast by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: North America: Decreasing snowpack in the...
With increasing global surface temperatures the possibility of more droughts and increased intensity of storms will likely occur. As more water vapor is evaporated into the atmosphere it becomes fuel for more powerful storms to develop. More heat in the atmosphere and warmer ocean surface temperatures can lead to increased wind speeds in tropical storms. Rising sea levels expose higher locations...
Smoke filled the skies over western Canada and even much of the United States in May 2023. The source was several wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia.
Near the end of May, rain and cooler temperatures finally brought some relief for the out-of-control fires.
Smoke filled the skies over western Canada and even much of the United States in May 2023. The source was several wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia.
Near the end of May, rain and cooler temperatures finally brought some relief for the out-of-control fires.
USGS crew measuring forest conditions following the Dixie Fire in 2021. Lassen Volcanic National Park. California.
USGS crew measuring forest conditions following the Dixie Fire in 2021. Lassen Volcanic National Park. California.
Photograph of one of the East Troublesome wildfire burn scar areas taken during a UAS mission in Colorado
Photograph of one of the East Troublesome wildfire burn scar areas taken during a UAS mission in Colorado
In August of 2020, the enormous CZU wildfire complex consumed over 85,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, leaving scarred landscapes in the hilly region. Runoff from large rainstorms in the winter months carry contaminants from the soils within these burned-out forests.
In August of 2020, the enormous CZU wildfire complex consumed over 85,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, leaving scarred landscapes in the hilly region. Runoff from large rainstorms in the winter months carry contaminants from the soils within these burned-out forests.
The relationship between people and wildfire has always been paradoxical: fire is an essential ecological process and management tool but can also be detrimental to life and property. Consequently, fire regimes have been modified throughout history through both intentional burning to promote benefits and active suppression to reduce risks.
The relationship between people and wildfire has always been paradoxical: fire is an essential ecological process and management tool but can also be detrimental to life and property. Consequently, fire regimes have been modified throughout history through both intentional burning to promote benefits and active suppression to reduce risks.
Satellites have captured views of the numerous major fires burning in California.
An image acquired on November 9, 2018, from NASA’s MODIS sensor on the Terra satellite shows smoke pouring out of two major fires, the Camp Fire and the Woolsey Fire, which both ignited the day before.
Satellites have captured views of the numerous major fires burning in California.
An image acquired on November 9, 2018, from NASA’s MODIS sensor on the Terra satellite shows smoke pouring out of two major fires, the Camp Fire and the Woolsey Fire, which both ignited the day before.
A Landsat image after the Thomas fire in California in 2017. This image is to be used for the after image for a before and after image.
A Landsat image after the Thomas fire in California in 2017. This image is to be used for the after image for a before and after image.
A managed wildfire burns in a Ponderosa pine stand, New Mexico
A managed wildfire burns in a Ponderosa pine stand, New Mexico
Monitoring fire effects at archaeological sites provides critical information for fire planning and site preservation. Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, 2014.
Monitoring fire effects at archaeological sites provides critical information for fire planning and site preservation. Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, 2014.
A managed wildfire in New Mexico demonstrates application of wildland fire
science for forest restoration and risk reduction
A managed wildfire in New Mexico demonstrates application of wildland fire
science for forest restoration and risk reduction
The USGS operated the Geospatial Multi-Agency Coordination (GeoMAC) website from 2000-2020. GeoMAC was the public face of all wildland fire perimeters. That site was shut down on April 30, 2020 and responsibility for wildfire information was transferred to the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). The GeoMAC mapping application at "geomac.gov" has been replaced by the National Fire Situational...
There isn’t a direct relationship between climate change and fire, but researchers have found strong correlations between warm summer temperatures and large fire years, so there is general consensus that fire occurrence will increase with climate change. Hot, dry conditions, however, do not automatically mean fire—something needs to create the spark and actually start the fire. In some parts of...
Wildland fires are inevitable in the western United States. Expansion of human development into forested areas has created a situation where wildfires can adversely affect lives and property, as can the flooding and landslides that occur in the aftermath of the fires. There is a need to develop tools and methods to identify and quantify the potential hazards posed by landslides produced from...
Scientists have predicted that long-term effects of climate change will include a decrease in sea ice and an increase in permafrost thawing, an increase in heat waves and heavy precipitation, and decreased water resources in semi-arid regions. Below are some of the regional impacts of global change forecast by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: North America: Decreasing snowpack in the...
With increasing global surface temperatures the possibility of more droughts and increased intensity of storms will likely occur. As more water vapor is evaporated into the atmosphere it becomes fuel for more powerful storms to develop. More heat in the atmosphere and warmer ocean surface temperatures can lead to increased wind speeds in tropical storms. Rising sea levels expose higher locations...
Smoke filled the skies over western Canada and even much of the United States in May 2023. The source was several wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia.
Near the end of May, rain and cooler temperatures finally brought some relief for the out-of-control fires.
Smoke filled the skies over western Canada and even much of the United States in May 2023. The source was several wildfires in Alberta and British Columbia.
Near the end of May, rain and cooler temperatures finally brought some relief for the out-of-control fires.
USGS crew measuring forest conditions following the Dixie Fire in 2021. Lassen Volcanic National Park. California.
USGS crew measuring forest conditions following the Dixie Fire in 2021. Lassen Volcanic National Park. California.
Photograph of one of the East Troublesome wildfire burn scar areas taken during a UAS mission in Colorado
Photograph of one of the East Troublesome wildfire burn scar areas taken during a UAS mission in Colorado
In August of 2020, the enormous CZU wildfire complex consumed over 85,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, leaving scarred landscapes in the hilly region. Runoff from large rainstorms in the winter months carry contaminants from the soils within these burned-out forests.
In August of 2020, the enormous CZU wildfire complex consumed over 85,000 acres in San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, leaving scarred landscapes in the hilly region. Runoff from large rainstorms in the winter months carry contaminants from the soils within these burned-out forests.
The relationship between people and wildfire has always been paradoxical: fire is an essential ecological process and management tool but can also be detrimental to life and property. Consequently, fire regimes have been modified throughout history through both intentional burning to promote benefits and active suppression to reduce risks.
The relationship between people and wildfire has always been paradoxical: fire is an essential ecological process and management tool but can also be detrimental to life and property. Consequently, fire regimes have been modified throughout history through both intentional burning to promote benefits and active suppression to reduce risks.
Satellites have captured views of the numerous major fires burning in California.
An image acquired on November 9, 2018, from NASA’s MODIS sensor on the Terra satellite shows smoke pouring out of two major fires, the Camp Fire and the Woolsey Fire, which both ignited the day before.
Satellites have captured views of the numerous major fires burning in California.
An image acquired on November 9, 2018, from NASA’s MODIS sensor on the Terra satellite shows smoke pouring out of two major fires, the Camp Fire and the Woolsey Fire, which both ignited the day before.
A Landsat image after the Thomas fire in California in 2017. This image is to be used for the after image for a before and after image.
A Landsat image after the Thomas fire in California in 2017. This image is to be used for the after image for a before and after image.
A managed wildfire burns in a Ponderosa pine stand, New Mexico
A managed wildfire burns in a Ponderosa pine stand, New Mexico
Monitoring fire effects at archaeological sites provides critical information for fire planning and site preservation. Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, 2014.
Monitoring fire effects at archaeological sites provides critical information for fire planning and site preservation. Santa Fe National Forest, New Mexico, 2014.
A managed wildfire in New Mexico demonstrates application of wildland fire
science for forest restoration and risk reduction
A managed wildfire in New Mexico demonstrates application of wildland fire
science for forest restoration and risk reduction
