Randerson team part of controlled burn study

AirUCI faculty Jim Randerson and his grad student, Audrey Odwuor, took part in a controlled burn near Blodgett, CA by sampling material on the forest floor prior to the burn and collecting smoke samples.  These will be analyzed back in the lab and compared with burn data to determine if the prescribed fire efficiently burns through the materials it's supposed to, truly reducing the risk of future wildfires.  The U.S. Forest Service is analyzing their practices — thinning pre-emptively could allow more wind to whip through during a burn, producing hotter flames and making the blaze harder to control, but it might also help the burn consume more of the remaining fodder, creating a longer-lasting buffer against wildfire.  These studies help form best practices for forest maintenance.  Read the article