A Bureau of Land Management fire crew was assigned to a wildfire east of Middlegate in 2017.
LVN
RENO — University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Living With Fire Program has developed and piloted a curriculum for use in Northern Nevada high school science classes to educate students about wildfire science, preparedness and career opportunities.
“Wildfire is an essential part of healthy ecosystems in Northern Nevada, but it is becoming more frequent and severe, threatening both ecosystems and people,” said Spencer Eusden, special projects manager for Extension’s Living With Fire Program. "It is essential that we educate future generations about how wildfire works and what we all can do to live more safely with wildfire in our state.”
Eusden has been working with stakeholders and educators across the state, including teachers, fire professionals, scientists and tribal organizations, to create a high school curriculum that includes training and materials for teachers to include wildfire education in their biology, earth, environmental and agricultural science classes. Funded by a two-year, $212,950.20 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the curriculum will teach high school students how to prepare for and prevent wildfire, while meeting Nevada educational needs and standards.
The curriculum prompts students to explore the beneficial and harmful roles wildfire plays across Nevada ecosystems. For example, students in earth science courses will dive into wildfire’s impact on soil nutrients and erosion patterns, while environmental studies students will use historic climate and wildfire data to make predictions about how wildfires are likely to change in the future. Eventually, the program will develop curriculums for elementary and middle school students as well.
Eusden and Living With Fire Program Director Christina Restaino are collaborating with other agencies to aid with the implementation of this curriculum and to connect students to career opportunities available in wildfire and natural resource management. The Bureau of Land Management has committed financial support to the project so it can continue after the original grant period ends and is helping shape curriculum material. The Great Basin Institute is filling AmeriCorps service terms to help teachers use the Living With Fire curriculum in the classroom, and the U.S. Forest Service and many local fire districts have committed support to help Eusden and his team connect fire professionals to classrooms where they can share their expertise with students.
“Fire is and has always been a part of Nevada landscapes,” said Restaino. “It’s important that we give teachers and students the tools to understand both the important ecological role of fire, but also how to be prepared for the fires that are happening around our communities.”
