Greetings from Tampa, Florida! This week, Tampa is home to not only great weather but also the third biennial Backyards and Beyond wildfire education conference and several hundred members of the wildfire community from across the country--and the globe!

Labels: backyards and beyond, conference, Firewise, Florida, wildfires

The Idaho Statesman is running a series of insightful articles examining the state of wildfires and wildfire policy in the U.S., specifically in the western part of the country. Check out the series, which will conclude this Sunday (July 27). The first of the three articles, entitled "Are we wasting billions fighting wildfires?" explores whether a focus on suppression is the most effective, efficient, or safe appproach. The article includes discussion on the science of fire behavior and a "tale of two towns" - one that had employed Firewise concepts and one that had not. The sidebar on the site features six success stories from communities that "did it right." (Shameless Plug: visit the Firewise Communities/USA page for a look at about 350 communities we think are "doing it right.") Part two of the series, Firefighting burns money, manpower, focuses on the escalating costs of fighting wildfires at the expense of other land management and recreation programs. The third article is expected this weekend, carrying the following teaser: "Science and money demand change, but politics and Western culture resist it." Check out the series and come back to the Firewise Forum to tell us what you think.

Labels: fire policy, fire wise, Firewise, Idaho Statesman, mitigation, wildfires