U.S. Wildland Fire Service BLM-National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Primary Announcement

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service Joint Fire Science Program is soliciting proposals in two topic areas: (1) drivers of changing wildfire regimes and consequences for wildfire risk factors and (2) smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire.

1.     Drivers of changing wildfire regimes and consequences for wildfire risk factors

The objective of this task statement is to increase understanding of the drivers and consequences of changing wildfire regimes to inform future management and monitoring plans that accelerate adaptation to these altered regimes that reduce wildland fire risk factors.

JFSP is asking potential investigators to address the following research needs in this task statement. Potential investigators must address all three research needs to be considered responsive to the task statement.

·      Research that leads to improved models, datasets, or other tools to more accurately forecast future fire regimes and consequences for ecosystems and valued resources (e.g., communities, infrastructure, municipal watersheds).

·      In collaboration with fire and land managers, use of improved models, datasets, or other tools to explore scenarios of future fire regimes and consequences for ecosystems and valued resources, identify potential tipping points, and feedback mechanisms for accelerated change.

·      In collaboration with fire and land managers, devise potential monitoring protocols to detect potential tipping points or other indicators of change.

2.     Smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire

The objectives of this task statement are 1) to better understand the impacts of prescribed fire and wildfire on smoke emissions - to inform appropriate timing, frequency, and extent of prescribed fire programs that maximize ecological benefits while minimizing air quality impacts on communities, and 2) to inform a standardized methodology for tracking prescribed fire emissions.

To contribute to understanding of smoke impacts from prescribed fire and wildfire, JFSP is asking potential investigators to address the following research needs. Proposals must address all three research needs to be responsive to the task statement.

·      Empirical, observational, and/or simulation studies that document the spatial and temporal scales at which prescribed fire programs influence one or more characteristics of subsequent wildfire regime (e.g., patterns of frequency, extent, intensity, or severity) and how relationships between prescribed fire and wildfire regimes differ by various factors (e.g., region, fuel type, disturbance history, interactions with mechanical treatments).

·      Studies that evaluate and/or validate methodologies for tracking and/or predicting emissions from prescribed fire.

·      Studies that extend the findings on relationships between prescribed fire and wildfire regimes (from research need 1) and evaluation of methods (from research need 2) to implications for air quality and related public health and/or the effectiveness of mitigation strategies on acute health impacts related to air quality.

Please consult the JFSP database for the specific requirements on each individual task statement, https://www.firescience.gov/

All proposals must be submitted by September 17, 2026, 5:00 pm MT, using the electronic submission process provided by the JFSP website (https://www.firescience.gov). 

Proposals cannot be submitted through Grants.gov. No exceptions are allowed to this closing date or time.