Introduction to fire as a natural component of forest ecosystems
and as a tool for forest management. Emphasis on field experience
with prescribed burns, including formal wildland firefighter
training that will provide qualifications required for employment
as a wildland firefighter.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students: Graduate students will be required to review and synthesize
current scientific literature related to an aspect of fire
ecology. Topics will be approved by course instructor. The
literature synthesis will culminate in the student delivering a
lecture on their selected topic to the rest of the class and
leading a class discussion of that topic.
Athena Title
Wildland Fire
Non-Traditional Format
This course emphasizes field experience and interaction with
practitioners of prescribed fire. Students will spend the first
half of the semester preparing for an intensive one-week field
course that will take place over spring break at UGA's Savannah
River Ecology Laboratory near Aiken, South Carolina.
Undergraduate Prerequisite
Permission of department
Graduate Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
S/U (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will discuss current fire management issues and controversies, including how fire is implemented to achieve resource management objectives.
Students will describe the primary factors affecting the start and spread of wildfire and recognition of potentially hazardous situations.
Students will describe how prescribed and wildland fire impact forest structure and function.
Students will describe how various organisms have adapted to and respond to fire.
Graduate students will review and synthesize current scientific literature related to an aspect of fire ecology, which will culminate in a presentation and class discussion.
Topical Outline
This course has a nontraditional format. It will involve class
meetings, online activities, and an intensive field experience.
The course will begin at the start of the spring semester.
Students will complete the online portion of the course during
the first part of the semester leading up to spring break. This
will include completing the S-190 “Introduction to Wildland Fire
Behavior” modules and the S-130 “Firefighter Training” modules.
Prior to spring break, students will complete an arduous pack
test which is required to participate in the intensive field
component that takes place over spring break. The course will
culminate at the conclusion of the spring break field experience.
