WHAT’S NEW
1) Can’t make it to Maryland? Check this out! The Symposium will be offered Virtually in addition to the live event. Promotional Video
2) The Symposium will proceed despite the Government Shutdown!
3) Join us Tuesday evening, October 22, for an escorted “Haunted Stroll” through the historical University of Maryland campus.The Haunted Stroll will include several stops along the campus with a focus on true historical events and ghostly lore popular with UMUC students and facility. The stroll is a fundraiser for the families of the Yarnell Hill Firefighters who lost their lives this summer. Donations will be given to the National Fallen Firefighter Foundation, we are asking for a donation of $10/person.
4) We are pleased to announce our Keynote Speaker, Mr. Robert Bonnie, Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. At USDA, Bonnie oversees the Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service on a variety of natural resource issues, working closely with the Farm Service Agency. Mr. Bonnie will open the symposium on Tuesday Morning at 9:00.
5) We have been approved for 21.5 Category 1 Credits from the Society of American Foresters.
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REGISTRATION
We have extended the early registration period until October 10th. After that date a $50 late fee will be incurred.
We are also pleased to announce that the Symposium will be available to a remote audience through a virtual conference. The symposium will combine in-person and streaming presentations allowing the remote audience to engage with the presenters and other remote attendees.
PROGRAM
The program committee is pleased with the number and quality of the abstracts that were received. The program includes workshops, several plenary session, concurrent sessions, poster presentations and a trade show. Click here to view the detailed PROGRAM SCHEDULE and SESSION ABSTRACTS (updated 10.17.2013)
The special sessions include topics such as Transportation Corridor Safety; Smoke and People; Reducing Smoke through Wood Energy: The Role of USDA; Revising “Wildfire Smoke: A Guide for Public Health Officials”; Fire’s Impacts on Ozone and PM – Data Results and Tools for Analysis; and State of Fire Behavior Models and their Application to Ecosystem and Smoke Management Issues.
Poster and concurrent sessions will include presentations on a variety of topics:
- Smoke and Air Quality Modeling;
- Smoke and Climate Change;
- Smoke and Populations;
- Smoke Management and Mitigation: Policies, Procedures and Practices;
- Wildland and Agricultural Fire Activity, Smoke Emissions and Inventory;
- and more.
PURPOSE
As the extent of global wildland fire and smoke increases, changes in air quality and climate will result in greater threats to human health, ecosystems, and infrastructure in the United States and internationally. The International Smoke Symposium will provide a venue to explore the complex issues surrounding wildland fire and smoke; discuss different management strategies adopted around the world; and identify knowledge gaps within the field of smoke science for future research, innovation, and development.
This symposium will serve as a nexus of interdisciplinary research, management, and policy. Research specialists, managers, and policy makers from non-governmental organizations, government agencies, tribes, and private institutions will be able to discuss and evaluate current practices and the latest research and technological developments that inform decision making and provide a critical sounding board for future research needs and practical solutions to management challenges.
OBJECTIVES
The Symposium will:
- Create an international forum to discuss complex smoke issues surrounding both wildland and agricultural fire.
- Identify research gaps and priorities for smoke science and air quality communities to address and meet contemporary challenges regarding public health, transportation safety, fire personnel exposure and changes in climate.
- Increase awareness of ongoing smoke science research for professionals engaged in fire activities, air quality management, resource stewardship, military land-use activities, and emergency services.
- Provide innovative training opportunities for managers and operational professionals through a virtual platform.
- Showcase contemporary science and technologies to promote pioneering management and policy strategies.
- Raise awareness of the global diversity of approaches, issues, ideas and mitigation strategies in fire behavior and smoke management as they pertain to ecological concerns, social perceptions, and economic issues.