This course is designed to provide the student with a solid understanding of the importance of fire to ecosystems, communities, species, and human society. The first part of the course will be devoted to understanding what fire is, and how it interacts with the abiotic and biotic environment. In the second part of the course, the focus will shift to the importance of fire in a historical, social and political context. Time also will be devoted to understanding the theory, principles, tools, and organization of fire management, particularly as it applies to British Columbia and other regions of Canada. The basic and foremost goal of this course is to increase the student's awareness of the role of fire in ecosystems.
Prerequisite: 4th year standing in the BNRS program.