||July 18, 2003 GSA Release No. 03-21 || Contact: Ann Cairns
Wildland Fire Impacts on Watersheds: A Special Conference of The
Geological Society of America Boulder, CO – Wildland fires are
an inevitable fact of nature; recently they’ve also been viewed
as a national security issue. They burn more than two million
acres in the United States each year. Extended drought
conditions, as well as common land management and development
practices, make wildland ecosystems even more vulnerable to
catastrophic damage. When watershed areas burn, the threat is
particularly ominous. Forest and rangeland watersheds serve as
primary sources of drinking water for much of the population of
the U.S. Yet many municipalities are unaware of what is likely
to follow a fire and unprepared to deal with the consequences.
On October 21-23, 2003, scientists will gather with land
managers, resource specialists, and fire management planners in
Englewood, CO, for Wildland Fire Impacts on Watersheds:
Understanding, Planning, and Response. S