NASA Fire Science Workshop, February 20-22, 2008
The Inn and Conference Center University of Maryland University College (UMUC)
3501 University Blvd East Adelphi, MD 20783
(Adjacent to the University of Maryland, College Park campus)
800-676-6137 or 301-985-7300
Post-Workshop Information
USDA Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Conference information
Purpose
NASA will hold a workshop February 20–22, 2008 to review the Agency's fire science research activities and to consider a 5 to 10 year strategy in this important area.
NASA generates a number of fire satellite data products and numerous other observations that are relevant to assessing fire risk, predicting the intensity and spread of fires, characterizing fire emissions and effects, and analyzing patterns of recovery. Associated research occurs across NASA programs in ecosystem science, land cover and land use, water and carbon cycles, and atmospheric composition. The February 2008 workshop will review current observations, associated remote sensing science, and research activities making use of NASA observations. The meeting will outline a 5 to 10 year strategy that extends current efforts and complements the activities of other agencies and institutions. Linkages with fire activities in NASA's Applied Sciences Program will be considered.
The workshop objectives are to:
• Review current research relevant to NASA goals and strategies for fire science research;
• Develop a five to ten year fire research strategy for NASA Earth science;
• Consider what can be learned from previous fire events, such as the recent Southern California fires;
• Consider observations, infrastructure, and methods for sharing data and data products needed to undertake effective fire science research within NASA and to support interactions and collaborations with other Federal and state agencies and stakeholders;
• Consider relationships and coordination between basic and applied science and operational activities; and
• Consider the synergy and contribution to national and international fire programs.
Please plan to join us for an interesting and important meeting! For further information contact Bill Emanuel at 202 358-0559 or by e-mail to william.emanuel@nasa.gov
Thanks,
Bill Emanuel, NASA Headquarters
Ed Sheffner, NASA Ames Research Center
Chris Justice, University of Maryland
Organizing Committee
Workshop Registration
Workshop registration is closed because all available space is taken. Please contact Bill Emanuel to inquire about options for participating on an over-flow basis. Direct your inquiry to william.emanuel@nasa.gov.
Lodging
Lodging space is still available for those already registered for the workshop. Rooms are available on site at UMUC Inn and Conference Center by Marriott at the regular rate of $189/night.
UMUC Inn and Conference Center by Marriott
University Blvd. & Adelphi Rd., Adelphi, MD
(301) 985-7300
Other nearby accommodations can be found with:
Marriott Courtyard-Greenbelt
6301 Golden Triangle Dr
Greenbelt , MD 20770
(301) 441-3311
Or visit the University of Maryland College Park List of Local Accommodations for a complete list of College Park area hotels.
Dining
A wide variety of inexpensive restaurants can be found in College Park and neighboring towns. Local favorites include:
94th Aero Squadron Restaurant
www.angelfire.com/md2/CGS94th/
5240 Paint Branch Pkwy
College Park, MD 20740
301-699-9400
Chef's Secret
www.sirichef.com
5810 Greenbelt Rd
Greenbelt, MD 20770
301-345-6101
Franklin's Restaurant Brewery and General Store
www.franklinsbrewery.com
5121 Baltimore Ave
Hyattsville, MD 20781
301-927-2740
Seven Seas Restaurant
www.sevenseascp.com
8503 Baltimore Ave
College Park, MD 20740
301-345-5807
Ten Ren College Park
www.tenren.com/maryland.html
7418 Baltimore Ave.
College Park, MD 20740
301-864-8920
Tiffin Indian Kitchen
www.tiffinrestaurant.com
1341 University Boulevard
East Takoma Park, MD 20912
301-434-9200
Woodlands Indian Vegetarian Restaurant
www.woodlandsrestaurants.com
8046 New Hampshire Avenue
Langley Park, MD 20783
301-434-4202
Background
Recent Southern California fires occurred within a region and ecosystems in which fire, people, and their activities coexist. Other catastrophic fires have occurred in the last few years in similar ecosystems in Greece , Spain , Portugal and Australia . NASA's satellite observations provide a testament of the extent of these wildfires and their global context. In the absence of human management of the landscape, fire is a naturally occurring disturbance to Southern California ecosystems and their Mediterranean counterparts throughout the world. In order to prosper, residents of fire-prone regions benefit from observations, predictions, planning, land management and a thorough understanding of fire as part of the fabric of their landscape. Fuel and fire management practices are integral to land use management at the urban-wildland interface.
The complex landscape of human activities complicates regional fire regimes and their impacts. Ignitions in these systems are caused primarily by humans and can have devastating results on life and property. With extreme drought conditions and winds, fires spread rapidly presenting challenges for fire fighting and disaster management. The resulting large fires impact regional air quality and can be a significant source of trace gas emissions. Fires can also impact local scale hydrology, soil erosion and nutrient cycling.
Where people do not manage and utilize ecosystems, the occurrence of fire is more regular and ecosystems respond and recover naturally from this disturbance. From an ecosystems perspective fires can have both positive and negative impacts depending on their intensity and frequency. Over the next century, climate and land use changes will alter current fire regimes. Further encroachment of suburban development into fire prone landscapes or the depopulation of agricultural lands will exacerbate the current situation. Climate change presents a major challenge to humankind, and from a particularly human viewpoint, changes in fire frequency, intensity, impacts, and ecosystem responses will be a fundamental aspect.
Much can be learned through the study of fire events, their impacts and the fate of burned land. Comparisons across biomes may provide insight into fire and ecosystem processes and effective management practices and their outcomes. Remote sensing and the perspective from space, provide unique data for the study of fires and their impacts. Systematic observations and consistent, long term global fire data records can provide a basis for studying fire pattern and process and changing fire regimes in response to climate and land use change. Information on changing distribution and timing of fire can help in the development more effective fire policies. When combined with data from other sources, satellite and airborne remotely sensed data can help in the monitoring of fuel factors and loads, vegetation conditions and early warning of fire danger, detection and monitoring and modeling of fire and smoke. Such information can make an important contribution to fire and disaster management. Fire characterization and targeted observations for post-fire assessment can help determine the impacts of fire and inform immediate post fire land and watershed management. Systematic mapping of burned areas when combined with other data, provide important input both for land managers and emissions modelers.
In the past few years NASA has funded a number of studies to generate and utilize remotely sensed fire related observations. In addition to the development of satellite and airborne instruments, algorithms and data products, models and the associated information technology, these studies have included basic and applied science. The research has cut across the scientific themes of ecosystems, land cover/land use, water cycle, carbon cycle and atmospheric research. The associated applications have included near real-time data and information delivery systems in support of fire and air quality management. With increasing attention to fire and the increased use of remote sensing assets, NASA intends to strengthen its fire science research program.
As one of the first steps towards developing this program, the NASA Fire Science Workshop will be held to review current fire research and to develop a 5-10 year interdisciplinary fire science and applications research strategy for the agency. It is intended that the strategy will complement fire science being undertaken in other agencies and will focus on the use of NASA's remote sensing assets. It is the intention that this strategy will subsequently be implemented through a program of funded, competitive research. The possibility for interagency and international cooperation will be explored in the framework of existing coordination structures. The resulting program will contribute to the existing national and international programs on fire observations and fire science.