The Association for Fire Ecology

Do you need to provide more information so your employer will authorize your travel request?  With ecosystems under pressure from climate changes, intensive management, and changing fire regimes, now is a critical time for managers and scientists to share ideas and research results. However, with many travel and training budgets drastically reduced, you may need to convince your employer or agency to allow you to attend AFE conferences.  For Talking Points to take to your employer, see our Rationale for Conference Travel article on our conference page.

Student Travel Grants

AFE and the Joint Fire Sciences Program (JFSP) would like to invite students to apply for a Travel, Research, and Educational Experience (TREE) grant.  This program is designed to help students travel to attend conferences, symposia, workshops, and laboratories dealing with wildland fire science and management.  All registered Graduate and undergraduate students in good academic standing in a field related to wildland fire science, ecology, or management will be eligible to apply for grants.  To receive a TREE grant application, send a request to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Wildland Fire Certification

AFE now certifies Fire Technicians, Fire Managers, and Fire Ecologists.

We created this professional certification program in order to formally acknowledge your education, experience and accomplishments in wildland fire, and offer employers a way to identify you as a nationally recognized fire ecology professional.

The application deadline for 2011 is over.   Applications currently being accepted for 2012 review. Apply now. 

Southwest Fire Ecology Conference: Fire Landscapes, Wildlife & People ~ Building Alliances for Restoring Ecosystem Resilience. Santa Fe, New Mexico, Feb. 27-March 1, 2012.  

Registration is now open, visit the conference website to register online.  Last Day to register without late fees is Jan. 27!

Room reservations should be made at La Fonda Hotel by Jan. 27th--Our room block will be released after that date, so you will not be guaranteed a room if you don't reserve one by that time.  Rooms are extremely limited, so don't delay.

The 5th International Fire Ecology and Management Congress:  Uniting Research, Education and Management. Portland, Oregon at the Oregon Convention Center, Dec. 3-7, 2012.  CALL FOR SPECIAL SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS COMING SOON!

Fire Ecology is an international peer-reviewed on-line journal focusing on ecological effects of wildland fires.  It is published in three issues per year: April, August, and December.   Submissions currently being accepted for a Special Issue from presentations at the Interior West Conference.  Please see to our page on How to Submit for format and content guidelines.

AFE Awards Nominations

The following awards will be presented at our upcoming conferences:

Southwest Conference:  Nominations for the new Henry Wright Award for Lifetime achievement in Fire Ecology in Grasslands and Shrublands are due 1/10/12.

5th International Fire Congress:  The Biswell, Wright, Stoddard, and SAFE awards will be presented. Nomination deadlines to be announced.

Submit nomination letters to Dr. Scott Stephens at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  For more information, see our awards page: http://fireecology.net/nominations.html. 

Become a Conference Sponsor  

We are seeking general support from government agencies, institutions, and businesses ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 and higher. Your financial support of these important regional conferences will be used to cover conference organizing and logistics and to help us keep registration fees low.  Lower fees will help broaden participation by federal, state, and local government employees, educators, students, and other interested citizens.  See our Conference Sponsorship Article for details.