Recovering From a Century of Fire Suppression

This Research Landscapes event examines the growing impact of wildfires and asks a critical question — Are our current firefighting strategies working, or are they actually making the problem worse?

Drawing on ecological research and on-the-ground wildfire science, Dr. Larissa Yocom discusses how decades of aggressive fire suppression have contributed to larger, hotter, and more destructive fires, while costing millions of dollars each year. She covers the history of fire management in the West, the concerns currently facing Utah's forests, and the steps we can take to reallocate limited resources to protect human life and infrastructure, making our fire management efforts both more efficient and more sustainable.

The presentation was followed by a live question-and-answer session with Dr. Yocom.