Association for Fire Ecology

About Association for Fire Ecology

The Association for Fire Ecology (AFE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the knowledge and use of fire in land management. Our members include scientists, educators, students, managers, practitioners, policymakers, and interested citizens. Anyone who supports our mission can become a member of AFE and through active involvement can help shape the emerging profession and growing field of fire ecology. Our vision for the Association for Fire Ecology is that its membership of respected professionals from around the world together play a key role in wildland fire and fire ecology research, education, management, and policy, to enhance our knowledge and management of fire as a fundamental ecological process. The Association for Fire Ecology and its members share the following common beliefs: Fire is a critical ecological process in many ecosystems throughout the world. Land management goals often reflect plant communities with a past history of repeated fire events, however, fire regimes have been significantly altered on many landscapes, which may threaten native plant and animal assemblages, resulting in uncharacteristic ecological consequences. Plant communities, species composition, and soils have been significantly altered on many landscapes, causing change in the fire regime. Cultural burning has historically been part of the fire regime in many areas of the world. Restoring and maintaining native plant and animal assemblages and appropriate fire regimes is desired, although it is recognized that this may not always be possible. Science and education are critical in helping us understand ecological patterns and processes, how land management has affected fire regimes, and how vegetation and fire regimes can be restored. Science should inform both policy and land management decisions that affect fire regimes.