US 4th Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference Recap

The US edition of the 4th Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference – co-organized by IAWF (International Association of Wildland Fire), IAFSS, Tomsk State University, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute – was held in Raleigh from February 18 to 22, 2013. This conference allowed wildland fire researchers to meet around the main topic: “At the Crossroads, Looking Toward the Future in a Changing Environment”. This topic arose from the feeling that the changing environment substantially modifies fire behavior and fire regimes in the forests as well as at the wildland/urban interface.

This edition can be deemed as a success, with around 350 attendees, 7 keynote presentations, 85 oral presentations and over 50 posters representing the last research developments in fire behavior and fuel modeling. In addition to the presentations, over 10 workshops were held on February 18 to discuss specific fire topics or present new applications developed in research and now available to end-users.

In addition to the U.S. edition, the Russian edition will be held in St. Petersburg from July 1 to 4 (Download Flyer PDF at: www.iawfonline.org/2013FuelsConference/Call-for-papers-St.Petes.pdf). Contributed oral, poster and special session papers may cover a wide variety of topics. Proposals that make creative use of the conference theme are especially welcome. Visit the conference webpage (www.iawfonline.org/2013FuelsConference/CFP.php) for a full listing of suggested topics and an explanation of the session formats.

The CALL FOR ABSTRACTS deadline for the St. Petersburg, Russia, Conference was March 1st but we decided to offer a grace period until March 17th for IAFSS members to encourage more submission from fire scientists. Your contribution will be much welcomed! Please, send your abstract directly to: [email protected].

A selection of the best papers from Raleigh and St. Petersburg will be published in special issues of the International Journal of Wildland Fire and the Fire Safety Journal. IAFSS awards will also be given for the best paper, best applied paper and best student paper in St. Petersburg.

All abstracts for the St. Petersburg, Russia, conference will be reviewed and notification of acceptance made by 15 April 2013.