>> Jennie: IN THIS EPISODE OF ECOSENSE FOR LIVING... >> WHAT SMOKEY BEAR DID WAS REALLY TO IMPROPERLY EDUCATE TWO GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS.

>> CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE.

IT'S NOT COMING, IT'S HERE.

>> THIS FIRE IS BRINGING US TOGETHER AGAIN AND WE'RE ADDRESSING VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING THINGS, BUT WE CAN DO THIS.

♪ ♪ >> "TONIGHT DOZENS OF WILDFIRES RAGING OUT OF CONTROL IN THE WEST."

>> "BY THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER 28TH, IT BECAME UNSTOPPABLE AND TOOK EVERYONE BY SURPRISE" >> "AT LEAST 71 LARGE FIRES ARE NOW BURNING IN 12 STATES."

>> TO UNDERSTAND THE FUTURE OF FIRE, WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR PAST.

♪ ♪ >> THERE BECAME THIS IDEA THAT WE COULD CONTROL FIRE.

WE SHOULD SUPPRESS ALL FIRE.

THERE WERE GROUPS WHO WENT AROUND AND, JUST LIKE A REVIVAL, CALLED THE DIXIE CRUSADERS, WHO WERE OUT TO SHOW THAT FIRE IS THE DEVIL'S TOOL, IT'S MAN'S ENEMY.

>> THE DIXIE CRUSADERS IS A VERY INTERESTING CHAPTER IN THE STORY OF THE OUTREACH TO STOP FIRE.

SO FROM 1928 TO 1931, A SERIES OF VEHICLES, TRUCKS, PEOPLE, WENT OUT AND DID BARNSTORMING TOURS IN THE SOUTHEAST.

THEY SHOWED MOVIES, ANTI-FIRE MOVIES...

THE TRUCKS WERE STATE-OF-THE-ART.

THEY HAD PROJECTORS, FILM PROJECTORS IN THE TRUCKS, SO THEY COULD PROJECT THE MOVIES ON THE SIDE OF A BARN AND MANY PEOPLE IN THE SOUTHEAST HADN'T EVEN SEEN A MOVIE BEFORE.

AND THE TWO MOVIES, "BURNING BILL AND "PARDNERS" - THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE DESIGNED TO DO IS TO SHOW PEOPLE HOW EVIL FIRE WAS AND HOW EVIL THE PEOPLE WERE THAT LIT FIRE, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO PUT A PSYCHOLOGICAL EDGE TO IT.

>> SO AMERICA WAS WRESTLING WITH WHAT TO DO WITH FIRE.

AND, AT THE TIME THERE WAS WHAT THEY CALLED, INDIAN BURNING OR PAIUTE FORESTRY.

THOSE WHO PROMOTED USING FIRE THAT FOLLOWED ON NATIVE AMERICAN TRADITION AND OTHER PLACES IN THE WORLD WHERE TRIBES HAD USED FIRE SUCCESSFULLY.

AND THE OTHER SIDE OF THAT WAS PUT OUT ALL THE FIRES WHENEVER THEY START.

>> THE FLEDGLING FOREST SERVICE LED BY GIFFORD PINCHOT WAS STRUGGLING FOR A REASON TO BE, AND THAT REASON WAS TO BEGIN TO SAVE THE AMERICAN WEST AND THE FOREST FROM WILDFIRE.

AND THAT CREATED THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE, HAVE TO LIVE WITH TODAY, WHICH IS AN ECOSYSTEM OUT OF BALANCE WITH THE FIRE THAT IT NEEDS.

DURING THE 20TH CENTURY, NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN INCREASINGLY URBANIZING CULTURE SO WE'RE TAKING PEOPLE OUT OF THE WOODS, AND SO THEY, THEY LOSE THAT CONNECTION.

WE ALSO EXPERIENCED ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AGAINST FIRE IN THE WOODS, LED BY SMOKEY BEAR.

>> REMEMBER!

ONLY YOU CAN PREVENT FOREST FIRES.

>> WHAT SMOKEY BEAR DID WAS REALLY TO, IMPROPERLY EDUCATE TWO GENERATIONS OF AMERICANS WHO THEMSELVES DIDN'T HAVE THAT CONNECTION TO THE WOODS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT BENEFITS FIRE HAS IN MAINTAINING ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY.

>> "THAT'S A GOOD JOB" SAID SMOKEY THE BEAR.

>> THAT WAS POWERFUL FOR ANY CHILD AND ADULT.

AND SECOND BAMBI.

>> "YOU BEGIN TO GET WEAK IN THE KNEES..." >> THINK ABOUT THE MOVIE BAMBI.

WHEN I ASK PEOPLE, WHAT'S THE FINAL SCENE YOU REMEMBER FROM BAMBI?

I'D SAY NINE OUT OF 10, SAY "THAT WILDFIRE THAT, YOU KNOW, HUMANS CAUSED, THE CAMP FIRE, ALL THE ANIMALS RUNNING FOR THEIR LIFE.

OH, IT WAS HORRIBLE," BUT THAT'S NOT THE FINAL SCENE.

DISNEY GOT IT RIGHT THIS TIME.

THE FINAL SCENE IS, THERE'S NEW GROWTH.

THERE'S YOUNG ANIMALS.

AND THERE'S BAMBI STANDING UP NOW AS THE MAIN BUCK.

IF PEOPLE COULD HAVE GOTTEN THAT, MAYBE WE WOULDN'T HAVE GONE WHERE WE WENT.

>> WE CATEGORIZE FIRES INTO TWO DIFFERENT WAYS.

WILDFIRES THAT ARE UNPLANNED IGNITIONS, THEY ARE EITHER STARTED BY NATURE, BY LIGHTNING OR BY HUMANS.

IN AMERICA, IN MOST COUNTRIES, THOSE ARE SUPPRESSED ACTIVELY THAT FIREFIGHTING FORCES TRY TO EXTINGUISH THESE FIRES.

THEY TEND TO OCCUR ON THE DRIEST HOTTEST WORST DAYS TO GENERATE THE WORST FIRE BEHAVIOR.

PRESCRIBED FIRES, ON THE OTHER HAND, ARE INTENTIONALLY IGNITED FIRES.

IT'S TO MEET SOME SORT OF MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVE, LIKE PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY OR REDUCING THE THREAT OF A POTENTIAL WILDFIRE.

>> WILDFIRE, NATURE HAS TAKEN OVER.

IN MANY CASES, WILDFIRES HAPPEN OFTEN WHEN YOUR FUEL MOISTURES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST, YOUR HUMIDITIES ARE AT THEIR LOWEST.

YOUR TEMPERATURES ARE AT THE HIGHEST.

WE'RE AT THE MOST EXTREME WEATHER AND THAT'S NOT A DAY THAT WE WOULD TYPICALLY PICK TO PRESCRIBE BURN.

>> IT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE WE HAVE MIXED WHERE WE LIVE WITH WHERE THINGS USED TO BURN AND WITH WHERE PLACES HAVE BEEN FIRE-EXCLUDED FOR A LONG TIME.

AND SO YOU'VE GOT THIS INEVITABLE EVENT WHERE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT'S IN THE AREA WILL BURN.

THE AMOUNT OF HOMES HAS INCREASED.

IN THE PAST 30 YEARS, THE NUMBER ONE PLACE FOR NEW HOMES HAS BEEN IN THIS, WHAT WE CALL URBAN INTERFACE OR INTERMIX WHERE OF COURSE IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO LIVE IN THE WOODS.

IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S FANTASTIC, BUT MANY OF THOSE PLACES HISTORICALLY BURNED.

>> WE HAVE DEBATES IN THE, IN THE MEDIA RIGHT NOW, WHETHER IT'S FOREST MANAGEMENT OR CLIMATE CHANGE IS DRIVING OUR WILDFIRE PROBLEM.

OF COURSE, IT'S BOTH.

WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING NOW ARE CHANGING CLIMATES THAT ARE INTERACTING WITH ELEVATED FUEL LOADS.

SO MISMANAGEMENT OF THE LAST CENTURY, AND ARE PRODUCING NOVEL RESULTS.

WE LOST OUR WAY.

WE LOST OUR FIRE CULTURE.

WE, LOST THE ABILITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND HOW FIRE WORKED IN OUR LANDSCAPES AT THE SAME TIME, WHERE WE'RE BUILDING OUT INFRASTRUCTURE INTO THOSE LANDSCAPES.

AND SO THE SOLUTION AND PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, IS MORE FIRE AND WE'LL GET IT ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.

WE'LL EITHER SET IT UNDER CONDITIONS THAT WE WANT, OR IT WILL BURN UNDER CONDITIONS THAT WE DON'T.

HOW DO WE EDUCATE A COMMUNITY ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROTECT THEM?

AND THE TRADE-OFFS OF MAYBE SMELLING A LITTLE BIT OF SMOKE, YOU KNOW, IN A CERTAIN MONTH OF THE YEAR WHEN IT'S EASY TO CONTROL SO THAT WE AVOID CATASTROPHE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE TWO OR THREE OR FOUR YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

>> PEOPLE KNOW THAT TALL TIMBERS WAS AN EARLY ADVOCATE FOR PRESCRIBED FIRE AND REALLY THE BIRTHPLACE FOR THE STUDY OF HOW FIRE AND VEGETATION AND ANIMALS INTERACT, OR THIS FIELD WE CALL FIRE ECOLOGY.

SO WE'RE IN THE STODDARD PLOTS.

THIS IS A SERIES OF PLACES ON THE LANDSCAPE THAT WERE TREATED BEGINNING IN 1960 WITH DIFFERENT FIRE INTERVALS.

SO THE SITE THAT I'M STANDING IN FRONT OF IS WHAT WE CALL THE ANNUAL PLOT OR THE ONE PLOT.

THIS SITE HAS BEEN BURNED 61 TIMES IN THE LAST 61 YEARS, WHICH IS PRETTY AMAZING.

THIS IRONICALLY IT DEPICTS WHAT ALL THE EARLY EXPLORERS TALKED ABOUT.

THESE OPEN PINE SAVANNAHS, AS YOU CAN SEE THE LARGE PINES AND THE OVERSTORY AND THIS INCREDIBLY DIVERSE UNDERSTORY, AND YOU CAN HEAR THE INSECTS AND THE BIRDS THAT LOVE IT.

YOU CAN SEE THIS REALLY ABRUPT EDGE.

THIS IS WHAT FOUR YEARS WITHOUT FIRE LOOKS LIKE IN THIS LANDSCAPE.

YOU CAN SEE THAT, HOW DRAMATIC THE DIFFERENCE IS WITH THE USE OF FREQUENT FIRE.

KEEPING THESE AREAS OPEN WITH REALLY HIGH PLANT DIVERSITY, OPEN STRUCTURE.

YOU CAN SEE BIRDS FLYING THROUGH, IN STARK CONTRAST TO THAT REALLY CLOSED CANOPY.

>> I THINK WE STILL HAVE A PROBLEM WITH BEING REACTIVE TO WILDFIRES.

YES, IT TOOK US A HUNDRED YEARS OF WE'RE GOING TO PUT EVERY FIRE OUT OR GET TO THEM AS FAST AS WE CAN.

AND WE'VE REALIZED OVER TIME THAT MAYBE THAT'S NOT THE BEST APPROACH.

AND CALLING US FIREFIGHTERS, DOESN'T HELP.

SOMETIMES I'M FIGHTING FIRE.

SOMETIMES I'M LIGHTING FIRE, SOMETIMES I'M MEETING WITH THE PUBLIC TO HELP THEM GET THEIR SUPPORT FOR WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

THAT'S A LAND MANAGER AND NOT JUST A FIREFIGHTER.

AND IF WE CAN MOVE THAT DIRECTION, I'VE GOT HOPE.

♪ ♪ >> ACROSS NEW MEXICO AND THE WEST, TRAINED CREWS ARE SETTING PRESCRIBED FIRES TO AVOID CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES IN THE FUTURE.

♪ ♪ >> ORIGINALLY THIS PROJECT WAS GOING TO BE 3,800 ACRES, BUT DUE TO WEATHER COMING IN, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO BE BURNING APPROXIMATELY 180 ACRES.

>> THAT EXPERIENCE OF GETTING ONTO A FIRE IS REALLY, IT BRINGS IT ALL HOME.

YOU COULD BE IN TRAINING AND WATCH THE VIDEOS, BUT UNTIL YOU'VE ACTUALLY CARRIED A DRIP TORCH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST, IT'S NOT THE SAME LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING.

>> YOU GUYS ARE WALKING AROUND WITH THE DRIP TORCHES, DO NOT SPILL DRIP TORCH MIX ON YOUR PANTS OR YOUR BOOTS OR YOUR CLOTHING, 'CAUSE IT'LL CATCH FIRE.

THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE PAST.

>> THE FOREST STEWARDS GUILD HAS A PROGRAM CALLED THE FOREST STEWARDS YOUTH CORPS, SO 18 TO 25 YEAR OLDS.

THAT AGE GROUP, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.

YOU MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE GONE TO COLLEGE, BUT IT'S A REALLY CRUCIAL PERIOD OF TIME WHERE YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT, LOOKING FOR YOUR NEXT STEPS.

THE FOCUS FOR THAT PROGRAM IS ON PRESCRIBED FIRE.

ALL OF OUR CREWS ARE TRAINED AS WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS.

>> A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK THE SOUTHWEST ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, IT'S ALL DESERT, BUT IT ISN'T.

YOU CAN SEE AROUND ME EVIDENCE THAT WE DO HAVE FORESTS AND MOUNTAINS, AND WE HAVE COLD TEMPERATURES.

SO, WE RELY ON OUR SUMMER RAINS TO HELP US AFTER A DRY SEASON WITH FIRE.

AND THAT'S ABOUT A LITTLE LESS THAN HALF OF OUR ANNUAL MOISTURE.

>> WE HAVE HOT TEMPERATURES, WARM NIGHTS, WINDS THAT OCCUR DURING THAT SUMMER SEASON, BIG RISK OF FIRE.

>> AND THEN IF THERE'S A FIRE SEASON IN THE FALL, THINGS GET GOING.

IT'LL BE THE COOLER TEMPERATURES AND SNOWFALL.

THAT WILL BE THE OTHER CONTROLLING FACTOR.

SO WITHOUT THESE PERIODS OF RAIN OR SNOW, WE COULD HAVE FIRE ALL THE TIME.

>> USUALLY IN OUR AREA, FIRE SEASON IS PRETTY MUCH GROWING YEAR BY YEAR DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

IT'S HAPPENING EVEN MUCH EARLIER.

AND IT LASTS PROBABLY TILL NOVEMBER.

THE RIO TESUQUE RIVER USED TO RUN WHEN I WAS A LITTLE BOY AND IN RECENT, AND MOST TIMES IT'S DRIED UP.

CLIMATE CHANGE IS HERE.

IT'S NOT COMING, IT'S HERE.

>> FIRE AND WATER IN NEW MEXICO, AND MUCH OF THE WEST IS REALLY CLOSELY LINKED.

OUR FORESTED MOUNTAINS ARE OUR WATERSHEDS.

AND SO HOW FIRE AFFECTS THEM, AFFECTS OUR WATER SUPPLY.

SO OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO USE FIRE FOR WATER.

WE'RE TRYING TO USE FIRE IN A WAY THAT IS ACTUALLY MORE THE WAY THE FOREST TENDED TO EVOLVE WITH FIRE, WHERE SMALLER OPENINGS WOULD BE CREATED, TREES WOULD REMAIN.

AND SO WHEN SNOW COMES, WHICH IS A REALLY MAJOR PART OF OUR WATER SUPPLY, THAT SNOW CAN THEN BECOME PART OF THE WATER THAT PEOPLE USE DOWNSTREAM.

WHEN WE HAVE REALLY SEVERE FIRES AROUND LIKE RESERVOIRS, WHAT WE GET HERE IS SEVERE EROSION.

SO DEBRIS FLOWS AND MUD AND SILT COME INTO THE RESERVOIR SYSTEM.

>> THE RESOURCE OBJECTIVE IS TO REDUCE HEAVY FUEL LOADING AND REINTRODUCE FIRE INTO THE LANDSCAPE.

REDUCING THE CHANCE OF CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRE, IMPROVING WATERSHED HEALTH, AND WILDLIFE BIODIVERSITY.

>> AS A NATION, WE STILL PUT OUT OVER 95% OF WILDFIRES.

IN THE HOTTER, DRIER FUTURE, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO NEED TREATMENTS LIKE THIS THAT WE'RE SEEING TODAY TO HELP.

>> WE HAD THE 1996 DOME FIRE BURNED THROUGH THIS AREA, BACK OVER THIS WAY, WHERE YOU SEE ALL THE OAK SHRUBS TURNING COLOR.

THAT KILLED A MAJORITY OF THE PONDEROSA PINE TREES THAT WERE GROWING THERE.

BUT THEN THE 2011 LAS CONCHAS FIRE BURNED BACK THROUGH THIS AREA.

SOME OTHER WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING MODELING THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE SUGGESTS THAT WE COULD GET KIND OF LOCKED INTO THIS SHRUB AND GRASSLAND STATE, SO IF WE CONTINUE TO HAVE REPEATED FIRE IN THE AREA, IT WILL PRECLUDE, YOU KNOW, THESE CONIFERS FROM ESTABLISHING LIKE PONDEROSA PINE, BECAUSE IT TAKES 20, 30, 40 YEARS FOR THEM TO GET LARGE ENOUGH THAT THEY CAN WITHSTAND A SURFACE FIRE.

WE'RE IN A MIXED CONIFER FOREST AND SO A HUNDRED PLUS YEARS AGO, IT BURNED RELATIVELY FREQUENTLY.

EVERY EIGHT TO 15 YEARS OR SO.

FIRE TENDED TO BURN ON THE FOREST FLOOR, IT DIDN'T KILL VERY MANY TREES, MOSTLY LITTLE TREES.

THERE WAS A LOT OF INDIGENOUS FIRE USE IN THIS AREA, WHICH AUGMENTED LIGHTNING STRIKES, AND THEN WE EXCLUDED FIRE FROM THIS LANDSCAPE FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS, BOTH THROUGH THE COMBINATION OF REMOVING INDIGENOUS GROUPS FROM THE LANDSCAPE, OVERGRAZING AND THEN ACTIVE FIRE SUPPRESSION.

AS A RESULT, A LOT OF DEAD PLANT MATERIAL BUILT UP.

THAT'S WHAT WE CALL FUEL IN THE WORLD OF FIRE.

AND, AS THAT FUEL BUILT UP, IT MADE THE FOREST MORE LIKELY TO BURN UNDER WHAT WE CALL A HIGH SEVERITY OR TREE KILLING WILDFIRE.

>> THERE ARE A LOT OF FOLKS WHO BELIEVE THAT WE DO NOT NEED TO BE REFORESTING AFTER FIRES.

AND I WOULD AGREE TO A CERTAIN EXTENT THAT NOT ALL LANDSCAPES NEED TO BE PLANTED.

BUT THE IDEA OF JUST WALKING AWAY FROM A FIRE AND LETTING IT GO BACK TO WHATEVER CONDITIONS IT'S GOING TO GO TO, IS NOT THE RIGHT DIRECTION BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE FIRES, WHETHER IT STARTED BY LIGHTNING OR BY HUMAN CAUSE, THESE FOREST CONDITIONS WERE SET BY HUMANS IN THE SENSE OF BEING OVERLY DENSE, HIGH FUELS, AND SO THESE CATASTROPHIC FIRES IN MY MIND ARE NOT NATURAL.

THESE LARGE CATASTROPHIC FIRES ARE SO LARGE AND SO HOT.

IT BURNS UP THE SEED BANK IN THE SOIL, YOU KNOW, PRETTY MUCH DESTROYS ALL THE ORGANIC MATERIAL THAT'S IN THE SOIL AND THEN THE NEIGHBORING TREES THAT WOULD SUPPLY THAT SEED CAN ONLY MOVE THAT SEED SO FAR.

THERE'S THIS OLD SAYING THAT WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO PLANT A TREE IS 20 YEARS AGO.

WE'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON OUR LANDSCAPE NOW, BUT THE BIGGEST IMPACT WILL HAPPEN GENERATIONS DOWN THE LINE.

IT WOULD TAKE THOUSANDS OF YEARS FOR IT TO NATURALLY REGENERATE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU WOULD HAVE A FOREST AGAIN.

AND SO THROUGH REFORESTATION, WE PLANT, WHICH ACCELERATES THAT TO HUNDREDS OF YEARS VERSUS THOUSANDS OF YEARS.

>> SO WE'VE GOT THESE SEEDLINGS PLANTED HERE THAT WE PUT OUT ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO NOW, AND EVERY FALL WE COME OUT AND MEASURE HEIGHT AND BASAL DIAMETER GROWTH.

AND SO THE IDEA IS TO SEE UNDER WHAT CONDITIONS THESE SEEDLINGS SURVIVE AND HOW QUICKLY THEY GROW IN THIS POST WILDFIRE LANDSCAPE.

THE CHALLENGES IN THIS LANDSCAPE ARE REALLY MORE THAN ANYTHING, ARE ELK.

WE PLANT THEM, THEY EAT THEM, YOU KNOW, WE PUT THE WEATHER STATIONS OUT, THEY EAT THOSE, WE PUT THESE LITTLE TEMPERATURE SENSORS OUT AT THE SEEDLINGS, THEY EAT THOSE.

I KIND OF FEEL LIKE EVERY TIME I COME OUT HERE, IT'S -- I POUR MORE MONEY ON THE LANDSCAPE TO REPLACE STUFF THE ELK HAVE EATEN.

>> ONE OF THE BIG RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, IS REALLY ABOUT DROUGHT CONDITIONING.

THE DROUGHT CONDITIONING RESEARCH IS ABOUT STRESSING THE SEEDLING IN THE NURSERY THROUGH LIMITING IRRIGATION.

SO WE JUST STARVE IT OF WATER AND THEN WE RE-HYDRATE IT AND THEN WE STARVE IT OF WATER AND RE-HYDRATE, AND WE DO THAT THROUGH THE ENTIRE GROWTH PHASE OF THAT FIRST YEAR.

AND THROUGH THAT PROCESS, WE'VE SEEN THAT WE'VE CHANGED THE SEEDLING BIOLOGY TO THE POINT WHERE IT UTILIZES THE WATER MORE EFFICIENTLY, AND THAT TRANSLATES TO A WAY THAT IT WORKS BETTER IN THESE STRESSFUL ENVIRONMENTS WHEN WE PLANT IT IN THE FIELD.

>> IT'S STILL ALIVE, WHICH IS A BIG PLUS IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

>> THIS ONE IS ALSO A PINUS STROBIFORMIS.

3.6 DIAMETER.

>> THERE NEEDS TO BE A HUGE INVESTMENT IN THE ENTIRE PIPELINE AND IT CANNOT JUST BE ONE COMPONENT OF IT.

IT HAS TO BE WITH SEED COLLECTION, SEED BANKS, NURSERY SYSTEMS, AND OUT PLANTING.

AND THAT'S A HUGE JOB CREATOR.

THIS HAS TO HAPPEN ON A LARGE SCALE AND IT HAS TO HAPPEN NOW, BECAUSE WE ARE LOSING OUR FORESTS THROUGHOUT THE SOUTHWEST AND IN A GOOD PORTION OF THE WEST TOO.

♪ ♪ >> IT'S JUST A REALLY IMPORTANT AREA FOR THE LOCAL TRIBES, FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.

IT PROVIDES FUEL WOOD FOR OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY.

A LOT OF FOLKS AROUND HERE PRIMARILY BURN FUEL WOOD IN THEIR STOVES FOR HEATING IN THE WINTER.

>> AN EXCITING PART OF MY WORK IS TRYING TO BRING IN THE TRIBAL AND PUEBLO PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE.

AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO PROMOTE MORE WOMEN IN FIRE.

>> EVEN IF THEY DON'T WANT TO GO INTO A CAREER IN FIRE, YOU KNOW, AFTER THIS THAT'S OKAY.

FIRE IS A PLACE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE START THEIR CAREERS THAT, EVERYONE HAS A BASE KNOWLEDGE OF FIRE JUST BECAUSE IN THE WEST, IN NEW MEXICO, IT'S SUCH A HUGE PART OF THE ECOLOGY HERE.

>> THIS IS A BIG DEAL FOR ALL OF US.

I THANK YOU GUYS FOR ALL COMING TODAY, BE SAFE TODAY.

>> IT'S JUST A MATTER OF HOW DO WE CORRECT IT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME?

BECAUSE THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND NOW IS THE TIME TO REALLY LOOK AT HOW IT'LL IMPACT US DOWN THE ROAD.

♪ ♪ >> WE KNOW THAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER FACTORS ARE CAUSING MORE WILDFIRES.

BUT WHAT'S THE FUTURE OF FIRE?

♪ ♪ >> FIRE IS A GLOBAL CHALLENGE.

WE THINK OF THE WESTERN UNITED STATES BEING THE CENTER OF WILDFIRE.

WELL, IT SIMPLY ISN'T, AND WILDFIRES, CERTAINLY IMPACT COUNTRIES FROM RUSSIA TO GREECE TO AUSTRALIA.

>> ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT PLACES ACROSS THE WORLD ARE RAISING THEIR HANDS, SAYING LET'S DO THIS, LET'S WORK TOGETHER.

AND HISTORICALLY, FIRE UNITED US, FIRE BROUGHT US TOGETHER, FIRE BRINGS YOU TOGETHER AROUND THIS CAMPFIRE.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS, WHAT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS CATASTROPHIC OR DISASTROUS.

THIS FIRE IS BRINGING US TOGETHER AGAIN AND WE'RE ADDRESSING VERY DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING THINGS, BUT WE CAN DO THIS.

WE CAN MAKE THIS WORK.

>> THE WHOLE WORLD IS CHANGING FAST, BUT FOR FIRE SCIENCE, IT'S BEEN SUCH A WONDERFUL DYNAMIC PERIOD OF TIME BECAUSE WE'RE ABLE TO CREATE THE TOOLS AND THE DATA THAT CAN RUN THOSE TOOLS FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS.

>> THE COMPUTING REVOLUTION, THE DATA REVOLUTION HAS AFFECTED FIRE PRETTY DRAMATICALLY, BUT THE REALLY DRAMATIC SHIFT IS IN OUR ABILITY TO MODEL AND FORECAST FIRE BEHAVIOR ON LANDSCAPES.

>> QUICKFIRE IS A CUSTOM SOFTWARE DEVELOPED BY LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LAB, THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE AND IN COLLABORATION WITH TALL TIMBERS.

THE SOFTWARE PACKAGE ITSELF SITS ON A LAPTOP OR A DESKTOP AND CAN BE USED TO PREDICT FIRE BEHAVIOR FROM A VARIETY OF IGNITION SOURCES AND FUEL CONDITIONS.

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, WE DIDN'T HAVE LIDAR, AIRBORNE LASER SCANNING OF A LANDSCAPE THAT CAN GIVE YOU HIGHLY ACCURATE DEPICTIONS OF WHERE TREES ARE, HOW THE LANDSCAPE LOOKS UNDERNEATH THEM, THE DIGITAL ELEVATION MODELS.

WHAT WE HAVE NOW IS ALMOST WALL-TO-WALL COVERAGE.

WE CAN'T KNOW WHERE EVERY CLUMP OF GRASS OR EVERY NEEDLE IS.

AND SO THE WAY THESE MODELS WORK IS IT'S JUST CUBES, KIND OF LIKE MINECRAFT, ITS CUBES OF VEGETATION.

AND THOSE CUBES ARE REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY CONTAIN ALL THE INFORMATION WE NEED TO ACCURATELY SET FIRE IN A SIMULATED ENVIRONMENT.

>> FROM A TRAINING STANDPOINT WITH FIRE, MUCH LIKE FLYING AN EXPENSIVE PLANE, FIRE CAN BE UNFORGIVING, AND SO RATHER THAN WRECKING THE PLANE IN THESE LANDSCAPES, USING THOSE SORTS OF MODELS AND TOOLS WILL HELP BURNERS AND THIS WORKFORCE PROTECT COMMUNITIES AND ALSO, SUSTAIN THE BIODIVERSITY OF THESE LANDSCAPES.

>> AN IMPORTANT USE OF THESE MODELING TOOLS IS TO TRAIN THE NEXT GENERATION OF FIRE MANAGERS.

TALL TIMBERS HOSTS THE NATIONAL PRESCRIBED FIRE TRAINING CENTER AND WHAT A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW THEM HOW WE MODEL FIRE BEHAVIOR TO MEET MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES SO THAT THEY CAN RUN SCENARIOS IN THEIR MIND BEFORE THEY PICK UP A DRIP TORCH AND DO IT ON THE GROUND.

>> THE FIRE WORKFORCE HAS TENDED TO LOOK A LOT LIKE ME, WHITE MALE AND WITH A BEARD.

THERE IS A REAL RECKONING THAT'S GOING ON NOW.

TO LOOK AT A WORKFORCE IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE PROJECTED, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE DONE WITH WHITE MALE EMPLOYEES ONLY.

IT'S A RECOGNITION BY ALL OF SOCIETY THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM.

IN INDIGENOUS CULTURES, FIRE WASN'T ALWAYS, THE MALE PURSUIT.

IT WASN'T ALWAYS THIS MOST SENIOR MALE PURSUIT.

IT WAS OFTEN WOMEN LEADING IT OR WOMEN PLANNING, AND THE PEOPLES THAT ARE BEING AFFECTED BY FIRE AND THAT VALUE THOSE FIRE-PRONE LANDSCAPES, ARE ALL PEOPLE.

>> FIRE AND RESTORATION IS REALLY CAREERS THAT CAN BE OPEN TO ANYONE.

NEW MEXICO IS A MINORITY MAJORITY STATE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING FROM HISPANIC OR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES, OFTEN FROM RURAL OR COMMUNITIES THAT ARE UNDERSERVED.

AND THIS IS REALLY CAN BE A PATHWAY, NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE THEIR OWN TRADITIONS OF LIVING WITH AND FROM THE LANDSCAPE, BUT THAT IT'S A CAREER PATH THAT CAN LEAD THEM TO GENUINE PROFESSIONS IN SCIENCE OR SKILLED MANAGEMENT.

>> SO WE NEED FIRE HYDROLOGISTS, FIRE ECOLOGISTS, FIRE BIOLOGISTS.

WE NEED FIRE HISTORIANS.

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST WHICH WOULD INFORM OUR DECISIONS NOW?

WE OFTEN THINK THAT WE KNOW EVERYTHING, WHICH IS RIDICULOUS.

SO WE CAN LEARN A LOT FROM THE PAST.

HOW DO WE DO THAT?

GET TRAINED FIRE ARCHEOLOGISTS!

IF YOU LOOK AROUND THE WORLD, EVERY SINGLE CONTINENT, EXCEPT ANTARCTICA, PROBABLY, THERE'S SOME FORM OF FIRE, WHICH MEANS THAT THERE'S SOME FORM OF CULTURE ASSOCIATED WITH THAT FIRE, WHICH MEANS THAT FIRE INHERENTLY IS DIVERSE.

ALL OF THESE CULTURES THROUGH TIME HAVE UTILIZED FIRE FOR ALL DIFFERENT REASONS.

IT WOULD BENEFIT ALL OF US, IF WE HAD REPRESENTATION FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES, DIFFERENT GENDERS, RACES BACKGROUNDS, BECAUSE FIRE IS ALMOST THE ULTIMATE EQUALIZER.

IT DOESN'T CARE WHAT YOU ARE, WHAT YOUR POLITICS ARE, RACE.

IT DOESN'T CARE.

FIRE IS HERE.

THE ABILITY TO WORK WITH FIRE, TO MANAGE FIRE, TO SHEPHERD FIRE TAKES THE INPUT OF SO MANY DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO MAKE IT WORK.

ONE PERSON CAN'T GO OUT ON A FIRE AND DO THE WORK.

IT'S JUST, IT'S DANGEROUS.

YOU NEED A VERY DIVERSE WORKFORCE TO GIVE YOU THEIR BACKGROUNDS, THEIR EXPERIENCES, THEIR KNOWLEDGE.

SO IT BENEFITS US ALL.

>> THERE HAS BEEN SUCH A, IN A LOT OF WAYS, A PRETTY MACHO CULTURE THAT WE PUT THIS FIRE OUT, OR WE SAVE THIS COMMUNITY, INSTEAD OF REALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE TENDING NATURE.

AND I THINK REDUCING SOME OF THAT AGGRESSIVE SUPPRESSION SORT OF MENTALITY, I THINK WE'LL ALSO OPEN IT UP TO THOSE WHO JUST CARE ABOUT NATURE - AND THAT'S EVERYONE.

>> I'M GOING TO PARAPHRASE ANOTHER PERSON THAT I KNOW WHO ACTUALLY LIVES IN THE FOREST IN HER HOME AND HER VISION IS THAT SHE'D BE ABLE TO SIT ON HER FRONT PORCH AND JUST WATCH THE FIRE GO BY AND BE COMPLETELY UNCONCERNED BECAUSE THE CONDITIONS AROUND HER HOME WERE SUCH THAT SHE WOULD BE CONFIDENT THAT SHE HAD DONE HER WORK, HER NEIGHBORS HAD DONE THEIR WORK.

AND IT WAS SAFE TO ACTUALLY HAVE FIRE PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN RESTORING THE LANDSCAPE.

AND THAT WE DON'T LOOK AT ALL SMOKE AS BAD, BUT WE'D BE REALLY, WORKING TOWARDS SEEING SMOKE AND HAVE THAT BE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE THAT IT'S LIKE, OH, YOU KNOW, THE FOREST IS UNDER RENEWAL RIGHT NOW.

>> WE HAVE TO ACCEPT NATURAL EVENTS.

THEY IMPACT US IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS.

I THINK THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE JUST HERE.

NATURE IS ALL AROUND US.

WE CAN'T CONTROL IT.

WE SHOULDN'T CONTROL IT.

WE WILL NEVER CONTROL IT.

IT'S ACCEPTANCE.

THAT'S WHAT MY HOPE IS.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪