In the News

Threat Center scientist interviewed in coverage of North Carolina wildfires

Coverage of ongoing wildfires in drought-stricken Western North Carolina by Carolina Public Press included a conversation with Threat Center fire ecologist Steve Norman. Amid an ongoing severe drought, Western North Carolina is experiencing a surge in wildfires and elevated wildfire risk that endanger both communities and public lands. 

“If we have an extended period of drought in the fall, we can have massive fires that are really hard to stop,” said U.S. Forest Service fire research ecologist Steve Norman. 

Norman and MountainTrue public lands biologist Josh Kelly emphasize the long-term ecological benefits of wildfires, such as improved wildlife habitat and reduced future wildfire risk. However, they caution against the challenges in managing wildfires compared to controlled burns. 

“The forests will be better off in the long run,” Kelly said. “The downside is that wildfires, as opposed to controlled burns, are much more difficult to manage.” Kelly also highlights the increased risk posed by developments in vulnerable areas.  The widespread fires of 2016, including the Chimney Tops 2 wildfire in Eastern Tennessee, serve as a stark reminder of the potential severity of such events.

Over 50,000 acres burned in the fall of 2016 during an extreme drought. Among them was the Chimney Tops 2 wildfire that burned 18,000 acres in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, spreading to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, killing 14 and damaging 1,400 structures. 

“2016 was extraordinary. It demonstrated just how massive fall fires can be,” Norman said. “So anytime we have a big event like the Collette Ridge fire, we take notice.”

Read the Carolina Public Press news story.

A recent CompassLive article highlights research led by Threat Center scientist Kevin Potter on genetic diversity in table mountain pine, a tree species endemic to the Appalachian Mountains. Potter and colleagues focused on understanding patterns of genetic variation across the distribution of the species, to help guide restoration efforts with a view to conserving that genetic diversity. The study detected only minor genetic differences between trees sampled in different parts of the species’ distribution, including from the northern and southern extents of its entire range. The low differentiation means seeds for replanting could be safely sourced from anywhere in the imperiled species' range. At the same time, isolated populations were less diverse, suggesting that they may need additional gene conservation attention because they are more susceptible to inbreeding. While table mountain pine is not an endangered species, it is a fire-dependent species that has declined greatly in the last century due to fire suppression and changing land uses. It is a species of conservation concern throughout much of its range. Management efforts to maintain table mountain pine include using low-intensity prescribed fire to mimic natural fire regimes, along with seed collection and planting.

Read the full CompassLive article here.

Read the original research article here.