Climate change is increasing the occurrence rates, intensity, and severity of wildland fires in drought-prone regions. High intensity wildfires not only denude the landscape and lower the resistance of soils to surface erosion, but they also change the physical properties of soils, alter the soil microbiome, and extend the recovery timescales relative to lower intensity fires. Rain-on-burn events can magnify multiple negative impacts, such as poor water quality and debris flows. Wildland management is at a critical juncture, requiring new knowledge and innovative tools to best support the mitigation and prevention of fire-induced hazards. 

This meeting will discuss the emerging frontiers in research and the outlook for implementing science-based tools to support equitable federal, state, and community responses to fire-induced hazards. For more information, visit our event webpage. 

Frequent and severe drought is the new normal for the western United States. The long-term climate outlook for the western states is one of aridification, and the subsequent impact on water availability will necessitate innovative strategies to manage constrained water supply and demand. The portfolio of strategies will include new technologies, bold social adaption, policy and legal frameworks, and economic incentives. The successful management of and adaptation to aridification requires a holistic approach that embraces the complexity of the hydrologic, socioeconomic, and political dynamics in flux from local to global scales.

This meeting will provide a 20-50 year outlook of the tough decisions and strategies needed to manage and adapt to aridification in the Western United States. The meeting will offer an overview of our current understanding of the hydrologic system and will highlight forward-looking opportunities—and challenges—that span socioeconomic adaptation strategies to technology-driven solutions. For more information, visit our event webpage. 

Contact Us
If you have any questions, please contact Courtney DeVane at cdevane@nas.edu.