The third iteration of the Quadrennial Fire Review (QFR), which began in 2005, is now available. The QFR is a strategic assessment process that compares current wildland fire management strategies and capabilities with future needs. While not a formal policy or decision document, the QFR is designed to provide a long-range vision to use to support fire discussions within and among agencies and state, local, tribal, and other partners.

This version of the QFR was conducted during implementation of the first National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy). The QFR and the Cohesive Strategy can be used together to address future wildfire management needs, because the Cohesive Strategy focuses on finding novel and improved approaches to fire management and the QFR focuses on long-range fire risks and threats. 

Read the 2014 Quadrennial Fire Review - Final Report

See the Managers' Assessment, outlining the role of the QFR

Michael Richmond, meteorologist with the Northern Rockies Coordination Center's Predictive Services Center, reviewed the following factors in his predictions for the 2015 fire season for the Northern Rockies -

As of May, these factors, along with expected higher than average long-range temperatures and accelerated snow melt in the Northern Rockies, suggest that the region will experience an early start to the 2015 fire season. There is also potential for above-average acreage burning through July and August. Read the full report.

See also -

Below normal snowfall and above average temperatures have resulted in lower than average snow water equivalent measurements for western Montana river basins as of April 1, 2015.

Snow melting and a lack of new snow at low- and mid-elevations produced record low snow water equivalent measurements at 47 SNOTEL locations with 18 locations completely melted by April 1.

Whereas northern river basins received above normal precipitation in March, precipitation received by southern basins was as little as 38% of normal. 

The USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service's Water Supply Outlook Report provides a comprehensive look at water supply conditions in Montana's surface runoff dependent areas and includes -

• Snowpack 
• Precipitation
• Reservoir storage
• Current conditions
• Forecasts of streamflow  

Read the full report

View current climatic information (e.g. precipitation, snow water equivalents, and streamflows) on the NRCS National Water and Climate Center's interactive map.

Users can now find webinar recordings relevant to fire and fuels management in the Northern Rockies on our website.

The NRFSN Webinar Archive is unique because users can filter and search recorded webinars by -

• Northern Rockies ecosystem
• Fire topic
• Presentation year
• Presenter name, webinar title, etc. (in search pane)

The archive continues to grow and includes recordings from the Joint Fire Science Program, the International Association of Wildland Fire, the Wildand Fire Lessons Learned Center, Fire Research and Management Exchange System, the Missoula Fire Sciences Laboratory, the Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative, and other JFSP fire science exchanges.

Search for webinar recordings

Conservation challenges of the 21st Century are more complex than ever. Widespread stressors such as drought, climate change, and large-scale habitat fragmentation are complicating conservation efforts, and traditional natural resource management infrastructure is not well designed to confront landscape-scale challenges. 

The Great Northern Landscape Conservation Cooperative (GNLCC), an NRFSN partner, aims to identify and overcome institutional limitations to working at landscape scales. Covering over 110 million hectares in the North American Intermountain West, the GNLCC is a self-directed partnership comprised of over 30 state, provincial, Tribal, non-governmental, and federal organizations.

The GNLCC identifies critical conservation priorities and science needs, and implements conservation solutions. Since 2010, the GNLCC and its partners have -

• Invested and leveraged over $20 million delivering science and conservation design for grizzly bear, bull trout, and sage-grouse and their montane, aquatic, and arid habitats
• Co-led development of LC MAP (Landscape Conservation Management and Analysis Portal) a.k.a. ScienceBase, as the information delivery platform linking 14 LCCs and all of the Climate Science Centers. 

The GNLCC facilitates networking across ecogeographic partner forums, where field-level managers, scientists, and conservation constituents identify priority conservation information and scientific needs for the region. These include Rocky Mountain, Sage-Steppe, Columbia Basin, and Cascadia. 

Visit the GNLCC website