Syllabus: Wildfire: Ecology, Culture, and Politics

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X:XX-X:XX Xday and Xday, Room XXX
Prerequisite: None

Prof. Stentor Danielson
Office: XXX Building, Room XXX
Phone: xXXX
Email: sdanielson@XXXXXX.edu
Office hours: Tuesday 2:00-5:00 or by appointment

Historian Stephen Pyne says that we are fire creatures living on a fire planet. Nearly every ecosystem on Earth can and does burn from time to time. Many of them depend on fire to remain healthy.

Fire was one of humankind's first, and most powerful, inventions. Hunter-gatherer societies greatly altered their environments by burning for hunting, to encourage edible plants, and a host of other reasons. Agricultural societies used fire to clear and fertilize land. Modern societies found that removing fire from the landscape can also drastically alter it. Yet fires are also terrifying events, consuming houses, killing firefighters and civilians, and blanketing the land in smoke.

This class is meant to introduce students from all majors to the key issues confronting our fire planet. We will discuss the physical and ecological causes and effects of wildfires. And we will explore the different attitudes and practices of people through history and around the world. Students should come out of this class better prepared to be a responsible "fire creature" -- as a citizen, as an individual, and as a community member.

General assignments policies

All written assignments must be received in my office or email inbox by 5 p.m. on Friday of the week they're due. Assignments will be docked one +/- grade (e.g. from a B+ to a B) for each school day they are late, unless a documented unforeseeable excuse is provided. Since you have the entire semester's schedule now, please plan your time so as to complete all assignments early, so that you are prepared if something unexpected happens. Written assignments may be printed double-sided or on old paper (i.e. paper that has had something else printed on the other side, available in all campus computer labs), or submitted by email in .doc (Microsoft Word), .rtf, or .odt (OpenOffice.org -- a free program equivalent to MS Office) format. Word limits are meant to give you a sense of how comprehensive the paper ought to be, not as strict rules. If you have something important to say, say it. If you don't, don't waste your time (and mine) by padding the word count.

1. Fire Ecology paper: due at the end of Week 5

The goal of this assignment is to help you to understand how the science of fire ecology works. You will write a 1500-word paper describing what is known -- and what is not known -- about the fire ecology of one ecosystem.

Below is a list of some suggested topics. However, you may feel free to select another ecosystem:

The chaparral of southern California
The Pine Barrens of New Jersey and Long Island
The fynbos of South Africa
The savannas of northern Australia
The boreal forest of the Alaskan interior
The mallee of southern Australia
The lodgepole pine forests of the Western USA
The garrigue of Mediterranean Europe
Longleaf and shortleaf pine forests in the southern USA

By the end of Week 2, you should email me with your intended topic. The final paper is due by the end of Week 5.

2. Fire in Other Lands presentation: due in class on Thursday of Week 8

The class will divide into groups of 3-5 students. Each group will select one country other than the United States and prepare a 15-minute presentation on it. It is expected that most groups will select a country discussed by Pyne (Australia, South Africa, Brazil, Sweden, Greece, Spain and Portugal, Russia, or India), but if a group can show that they will have adequate sources, they may choose another country. The presentation should cover the following three questions:

What is/are the fire regime(s) in the country?
How has fire management changed over time?
What is the country's current fire policy?

While the Pyne book will obviously be a major source, presentations should incorporate additional sources. Judicious use of information from websites will be especially helpful with respect to detailing the current fire policy -- remember that Pyne's book was published over ten years ago.

Presentations will last 15 minutes each. Fifteen minutes is shorter than you think, so make sure you practice your presentation in advance, and focus on the most important details. You may use audiovisual equipment (e.g. Powerpoint), however, time spent addressing technical difficulties will be counted against your presentation time -- so make sure you come to class early to ensure that you can operate the projector.

At the end of class each student must submit a brief (approx. one page) written description of what contributions each group member made to the presentation, including an estimate of what percent of the total effort each member made. While I plan to give the same grade to all members of the group, I may adjust the grades if there is clear evidence that some members did not pull their weight.

3. Policy Analysis Paper: due at the end of Week 12

Legislatures and land management agencies are always changing their policies toward fire -- or defending their policies from members of the public who want them to change. In this paper, you will have the opportunity to apply your critical thinking skills and the knowledge you have acquired in this class to analyze one or more proposed changes.

For this paper, you will find and analyze four news reports or opinion articles from the last five years relating to fire policy. The articles you select may be all relating to the same policy issue (e.g. the inquiry into the 2005 Eyre Peninsula fires), or they may share a broader theme (e.g. efforts in various locations to increase post-fire salvage logging). Suitable articles may be found by searching online (either a general search, or a targeted search like news.google.com or blogs.google.com), or through Lexis-Nexis. The articles need not come from "objective" sources like newspapers, but you should show in your paper that you recognize what biases might color your sources' claims. Articles from academic publications are not acceptable. If you are unsure about whether an article meets these criteria, don't hesitate to ask me.

Your paper should answer the following questions:

What is the policy being discussed? What recommendations for change have been made?
Is the policy being discussed a good one or a bad one? How could it be improved?
Do the arguments made by people you disagree with have any merit? How could their concerns be addressed?
How do the issues you are focusing on relate to the larger themes we have discussed in class?

In addition to the class readings, I expect that you will do some additional research in the scientific literature to help you back up your claims. Your paper should be about 3,000-5,000 words long. Note that extensive quoting of your articles is unnecessary -- write your paper on the assumption that I will have read all of the articles you are discussing.

An "A" paper will have the following characteristics:

Thesis: The paper will have a clear thesis statement. The thesis statement will be backed up by sufficient evidence, without extraneous digressions.
Organization: The paper will be well-structured and easy to follow. It will be clear how each part of the paper supports your thesis.
Depth: The paper will cover the issue in sufficient depth to address all the complexities of the issue. It will address potential criticisms of the stance that you take.
Originality: The paper will raise new and interesting ideas, rather than just repeating things that have been said by others. You should show an ability to make creative connections between concepts and facts from class and from your research.
Mechanics: The paper will use good grammar, spelling, etc. References will be cited in a complete and consistent way.

Your final paper may be submitted in either of two ways:
Traditional: You may write your paper like a traditional research paper. It can be handed in either in hard copy or by email (in .doc, .rtf, or .odt format).
Online: Because fire policy is an issue of public importance, I encourage you to present it as a webpage that can be accessed by others. You may make an original webpage for it, or you may post your paper as one or more blog posts. Remember that the length requirement and the need for proper citation of sources remain in effect for an online paper. If you choose to present your paper as a webpage, you will need to email me a link to your page by the due date.

By the end of Week 10, you must submit the full citations (and links, where possible) of the four articles you plan to discuss in your paper (though of course you may change later if you find a better article), and a one-paragraph abstract describing what you plan to say about them. The full paper is due by 5:00 on Friday of Week 12.

4. Final Exam: TBA

The final exam will be a 2-hour exam, held during the time slot that the university assigns to this class. It will be a combination of short answer and short essay questions. It will focus on the basic concepts of fire, and on your ability to integrate the different ideas we covered in class.

The final grade for this class will consist of:

25%: Fire Ecology paper
25%: Fire in Other Lands presentation
25%: Policy Analysis paper
25%: Final Exam

Fire is a complex subject, and no manageable set of readings can cover all of the information that I think is important to highlight on each topic. Therefore I expect all students to attend every class, because class lectures and discussions will be key to learning the material. While attendance is not factored into your grade, priority for outside-of-class help (such as office hours) will be given to those students who attend class regularly.

Your ability to master the class material should not be hindered by anything other than your own effort. If you have a disability, health issue, outside responsibility, or other concern that may affect your ability to succeed in this class, do not hesitate to contact me or the university's Students with Disabilities Office (xXXXX or xxx@xxx.edu), and we will work together to find an accommodation for you.

There are two books for this class, plus a reading packet. The books are available through the campus bookstore, or from an online seller such as powells.com or half.com. The reading packet may be purchased at the campus bookstore. Copies are also on reserve in the library.

Whelan, R. J. 1995. The ecology of fire. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Pyne, S. J. 1995. World fire: the culture of fire on earth. Seattle: University of Washington Press.

Fire is an issue of high public relevance, and new developments are always occurring (it's always fire season somewhere!). Thus, in addition to the readings listed in the syllabus, I may hand out additional readings -- typically short news articles -- from time to time.

Cheating and plagiarism (representing others' work as your own) will not be tolerated, and I will be alert for signs of both. In your papers, any idea that you take from any person other than yourself must be properly cited, and any words or phrases that you take from others must be clearly marked as quotations. You may discuss ideas with your classmates, or get help proofreading, but all of the writing must be your own. Review the section in your Student Handbook on Academic Honesty for a more detailed explanation of the university's procedures for handling cheating and plagiarism.

Week 1: Introduction to wildfire

What is a fire regime? What are the different fire regimes of the earth like, and how have they been shaped by humans?

Pyne, Chapters "Smoke Report" and "Size-Up" (pp. 1-28)

Whelan, Chapter 1 (1-7)

Reading packet: Kauffman, J. B. 2004. Death rides the forest: perceptions of fire, land use, and ecological restoration of western forests. Conservation Biology 18(4): 878-882.

Week 2: The physics and chemistry of fire

How does combustion occur? What factors affect the spread of fire?

Topics for the Fire Ecology paper are due by the end of the week.

Whelan, Chapter 2 (pp. 8-56)

Week 3: Fire ecology 1: adaptations

How have plant and animal species in different parts of the world adapted to fire?

Whelan, Chapter 3 (pp. 57-134) and Chapter 5 (pp. 151-198)

Week 4: Fire ecology 2: ecosystems

What is disequilibrium ecology? How does fire shape the development of ecosystems?

Reading packet: Holling, C. S., and L. H. Gunderson 2002. Resilience and adaptive cycles. In Gunderson, L. H., and C. S. Holling, ed. Panarchy: understanding transformations in human and natural systems. p. 35-62. Washington DC: Island Press.

Whelan, Chapter 7 (pp. 233-293)

Week 5: The urban-wildland interface

What is the urban-wildland interface? How do fires affect human lives and property? How does human development affect fire regimes?

Fire ecology papers are due by the end of the week. Groups for the Fire in Other Lands presentations will be formed.

Reading packet: Cohen, J. D. 2000. What is the wildland fire threat to homes? Thompson Memorial Lecture, April 10, School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University.

Reading packet: Davis, J. B. 1989. The wildland-urban interface: what it is, where it is, and its fire management problems. Fire Management Notes 50(2): 22-33.

Reading packet: Gill, A. M., and J. E. Williams 1996. Fire regimes and biodiversity: the effects of fragmentation of southeastern Australian eucalypt forests by urbanization, agriculture and pine plantations. Forest Ecology and Management 85: 261-278.

Week 6: Fire management options

What are the different techniques that people have used to manage fire? What are the impacts of these techniques on human safety and environmental health? What kinds of computer programs and online resources are available to fire managers?

Groups must confirm their choices of topic area for the Fire in Other Lands presentations by the end of the week.

Whelan, Chapter 8 (pp. 294-308)

Reading packet: "Torch and Shovel: The Means of Fire Management," pp. 69-131 from Pyne, S. J. 2004. Tending fire: coping with America's wildland fires. Washington DC: Island Press.

Reading packet: Whelan, R. J. 2002. Managing fire regimes for conservation and property protection: an Australian response. Conservation Biology 16(6): 1659-1661.

Week 7: Fire history 1: The United States

How have American attitudes and policies toward fire changed over time?

Pyne, Chapter "Control" (pp. 193-298)

Reading packet: Brown, H. 1999. Smokey and the myth of nature. Fire Management Notes 59(3): 6-11.

Williams, T. 1995. Only you can postpone forest fires. Sierra 1995(July/August): 36-43, 67-69.

Week 8: Fire history 2: Native people, and the rest of the world

How did indigenous people use fire, and is their knowledge relevant to us today? How have other countries dealt with their fire problems?

Fire in Other Lands presentations will be made during Thursday's class.

Reading packet: Lewis, H. T., and T. A. Ferguson 1988. Yards, corridors, and mosaics: how to burn a boreal forest. Human Ecology 16(1): 57-77.

Reading packet: Kohen, J. L. 1996. Aboriginal use of fire in southeastern Australia. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 116: 19-26.

Reading packet: Jones, R. 1969. Fire-stick farming. Australian Natural History 16: 224-228.

Week 9: Risk perception and risk communication

How do members of the public view the risks of fire? How do people balance the different values of life, property, and the environment?

Reading packet: Danielson, S. in press. Discourses about fire in New Jersey and New South Wales

Reading packet: Nelson, K. C., M. C. Monroe, J. F. Johnson, and A. Bowers 2004. Living with fire: homeowner assessment of landscape values and defensible space in Minnesota and Florida, USA. International Journal of Wildland Fire 13: 413-425.

Week 10: Fires and communities

How do fires affect communities? How can communities work together to manage fires?

Citations and abstract for the Policy Analysis paper are due by the end of the week.

Reading packet: Carroll, M. S., P. J. Cohn, D. N. Seesholtz, and L. L. Higgins 2005. Fire as a galvanizing and fragmenting influence on communities: the case of the Rodeo-Chediski Fire. Society and Natural Resources 18(4): 301-320.

Reading packet: Loomis, J. B., L. S. Bair, and A. González-Cabán 2001. Prescribed fire and public support: knowledge gained, attitudes changed in Florida. Journal of Forestry 99(11): 18-22.

Reading packet: Steelman, T. A., and G. F. Kunkel 2004. Effective community responses to wildfire threats: lessons from New Mexico. Society and Natural Resources 17: 679-699.

Week 11: The political ecology of fire

How has fire policy been used to serve political ends? How has fire policy affected the livelihoods of people living in fire-prone areas?

Reading packet: Molina, D. M. 1997. Origins of arson in northwestern Spain. Fire Management Notes 57(3): 18-23.

Reading packet: Jarosz, L. 1993. Defining and explaining tropical deforestation: shifting cultivation and population growth in colonial Madagascar (1896-1940). Economic Geography 69(4): 366-379.

Reading packet: Laris, P. 2002. Burning the seasonal mosaic: preventative burning strategies in the wooded savanna of southern Mali. Human Ecology 30(2): 155-186.

Week 12: Contemporary American fire policy

What are the pros and cons of contemporary American fire policy?

Policy Analysis papers are due by the end of the week.

Reading packet: Bush, George W. 2002. President announces Healthy Forests Initiative. Remarks at the Compton Arena, Central Point, Oregon, August 22.

Reading packet: Natural Resources Defence Council. 2003. Wildfires in Western forests: measures to protect Western communities from forest fires should draw on proven science, not fear.

Reading packet: Vaughn, J., and H. J. Cortner 2004. Using parallel strategies to promote change: forest policymaking under George W. Bush. Review of Policy Research 21(6): 767-782.

Week 13: Final Exam

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