Fire is — and always will be — a natural part of the forest and rangeland ecosystems. As residential development continues to encroach on wildlands, fire professionals will be needed more than ever.
As a fire ecology student, students will gain knowledge of where and why wildland fires burn and what their impacts are on landscapes and communities. Students will learn techniques in measuring and modeling fire effects on soils and vegetation, mapping wildland fires, and conducting prescribed fires in a variety of ecosystems.
Graduates of this program are prepared to apply their fire ecology knowledge and technical skills to natural resource management problems and other important environmental, political, economic, and social issues related to wildland fires — such as air quality, water quality, and the loss of life and property.
