The initial fuel treatment effects and effectiveness science plan is complete. A second phase plan is underway to flesh out science needs in fire effects, fuel treatment effectiveness and fire behavior. Three areas will be featured.

Science Focus	Key Questions
Fire effects	Improved predictive models – direct or first order and indirect or second order Relationship with threatened and endangered species	The Science of Fuel Treatments Fact Sheet
Fuel treatment effectiveness	Longevity of treatments Cost efficiency – Strategic placement of treatments Metrics, guidelines, or standards
Fire behavior	Improved predictive models Spatial and physics based systems

Since the creation of the program in 1998, investments have been made in over 177 research projects related to this line of work. The Government Accounting office recognized our past and continuing work in fuel treatment effects and effectiveness in GAO Report GAO-09-877 Wildland Fire Management (p. 11):

"The agencies, for example, still lack a measure of the effectiveness of fuel reduction treatments and therefore lack information needed to ensure that fuel reduction funds are directed to the areas where they can best minimize risk to communities and natural and cultural resources. Forest Service and Interior officials told us that they recognize this shortcoming and that efforts are under way to address it. The Joint Fire Science Program, for example, has funded almost 50 studies examining the effectiveness of fuel reduction treatments in different locations and has begun a comprehensive effort to evaluate the effectiveness of different types of fuel treatments, as well as the longevity of those treatments and their effects on ecosystems and natural resources. Efforts like these are likely to be long term, involving considerable research investment, and have the potential to improve the agencies' ability to assess and compare the cost-effectiveness of potential treatments in deciding how to optimally allocate scarce funds."

The report goes on to say:

"Other Joint Fire Science Program efforts may also help the agencies improve their fuel reduction efforts, including efforts to synthesize and disseminate the current scientific knowledge related to reducing fuels in different forests and grassland types and to develop a system that would allow field managers to better use a variety of sources of fuels data."

Our Fuel Treatment Effects and Effectiveness line of work is positioned to compliment future science needs identified in the Cohesive Strategy being developed by the Departments of Agriculture and Interior. We believe our work has and will continue to yield information for a coordinated response to fuel management issues across all ownerships nationwide.

Science Plan (09/30/2014)

Publications
Publication #1	A Comprehensive Guide to Fuels Treatment Practices in the Black Hills, Colorado Front Range, and Southwest M.E. Hunter, W.D.Shepperd, L.B.Lentile, J.E. Lundquist, M.G. Andreu, J.L. Butler, and F.W. Smith
Publication #2	Comprehensive Fuels Treatment Practices Guide for Mixed Conifer Forests: California, Central and Southern Rockies and the Southwest (Black Series) A.M. Evans, R.G.Everett, S.l. Stephens, and J.A. Youtz
Publication #3	Effectiveness of Fuel Treatments for Mitigating Wildfire Severity: A Manager-Focused Review and Synthesis (Final Report) P.N. Omi and E.J. Martinson
Publication #4	Synthesis of Knowledge from Woody Biomass Removal Case Studies A.M. Evans
Publication #5	Fire Managers Field Guide: Hazardous Fuels Management in Subtropical Pine Flatwoods and Tropical Pine Rocklands J. J. O'Brien, K. A. Mordecai, L. Wolcott, J. Snyder and K.Outcalt
Publication #6	Synthesis of Knowledge of Hazardous Fuels Management in Loblolly Pine Forests D.J. Marshall, M. Wimberly, P. Bettinger, and J. Stanturf