Understanding the Impacts of Hurricane Helene on Prescribed Fires and Wildfires

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, there is heightened concern of the increased risk of wildfires from the fuel loads present. A disturbance, like a hurricane, can alter the movement and behavior of wildfires and prescribed fires across the landscape. Land managers, fire practitioners, and natural resource managers are trying to understand the future implications of prescribed fire and wildfires and how the accumulation of debris will play a critical role in the intensity, severity, and behavior of fire. There is much to understand on how fuels have changed and what this means for the future of these forests.