Until now, the fire season of 2000 was the worst recorded. The National Fire Plan is a long-term investment program that will help protect communities and natural resources, and most importantly, the lives of firefighters and the public. The National Fire Plan calls for increasing the capability of federal research and development to support efforts to reduce the human and ecological losses from wildfires.

RM-4151 has a long history of fire-related research, therefore we responded to the National Fire Plan by proposing several studies, four of which were funded in 2001. The studies are anticipated to run about five years.

• Restoration Techniques in Lodgepole Pine Forests
  
  
• Riparian Ecosystem Dynamics in Relation to Fire in The Rocky Mountains
  
  
• Improving Decisions for Fuel Treatment Options
  
  
• Fire Effects on Biological Control Agents and Targeted Invasive Plants
  
  

• Regions 1 & 4 National Fire Plan