Climate & Wildfire Institute

05/26/2026

We talk a lot about the evolving wildfire crisis, but federal workforce planning remains trapped in a "reactive cycle," relying on arbitrary budgets instead of real operational needs.

This Thursday, join Grassroots Wildland Firefighters and the Climate & Wildfire Institute for a live discussion addressing how we can use data-driven planning to build a modern, risk-responsive workforce.

If you want to understand why gaps persist and how we can leverage data to build the wildfire management system we need, you’ll want to hear from this amazing panel of experts:

• John Rapp - Former USDA/USFS Budget Director
• Riva Duncan - President, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters, Retired USFS Fire Chief
• Dr. Dave Calkin - Former Senior Scientist, USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station
• Dr. Chris Dunn - Senior Researcher, OSU College of Forestry
• James Puerini (Facilitator) - Climate & Wildfire Institute / GWF Board

Register now: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xty4tnSuSYCFpkEBPryiZA #/registration

05/14/2026

What if every time you crossed a state line, the rules of the road completely changed? That is the reality for much of our wildfire data and technology today—fragmented across systems and jurisdictions.

The fourth and final installment in our blog series with the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) explores how we can build a "Digital Highway System" for wildfire. By designing for interoperability, we can ensure that data from federal, state, local, and Tribal partners works together seamlessly.

Success relies on a "consistent process, with local flexibility" model. This ensures we have a unified national infrastructure without erasing the vital local knowledge and agency of those on-the-ground.

Read the final piece, "Interconnecting Digital Standards for Wildfire Intelligence," here: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/interconnecting-digital-standards-for-wildfire-intelligence

Catch-up on the full series:
• Part 3: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/equal-and-reciprocal-access-to-federal-data-for-non-federal-partners
• Part 2: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/operations-centered-innovation-pathways
• Part 1: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/effective-governance-in-an-open-wildfire-data-ecosystem

Co-Written by James Puerini Welcome to the final installment in our series on “Priority Wins” for establishing a national wildfire intelligence capability. If you want to review (or haven’t seen) our three prior wins, check them out here: Governance Foundations , Operations - Researc

05/13/2026

Is our federal wildfire workforce resourced for the job? The wildfire crisis is evolving, but our planning is stuck in the past. Currently, the U.S. funds wildfire response and management based on what was spent yesterday, not what is needed today. This "reactive cycle" relies on arbitrary budget caps rather than the actual mission requirements on the ground.

Join Grassroots Wildland Firefighters and the Climate & Wildfire Institute for an urgent conversation on moving toward data-driven, mission-based workforce planning. We will examine how addressing critical information gaps can help secure the funding needed to align our workforce with modern wildfire risks.

Meet the Panelists:
• John Rapp, Former USDA/USFS Budget Director
• Riva Duncan, President, Grassroots Wildland Firefighters
• Dr. Dave Calkin, Former Senior Scientist, USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station
• Dr. Chris Dunn, Senior Researcher, OSU College of Forestry
Facilitated by: James Puerini, CWI / GWF Board Member

Date: Thursday, May 28th
Time: 11:00 AM EST / 8:00 AM PST

Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xty4tnSuSYCFpkEBPryiZA #/registration

Help us move toward a modern, risk-responsive workforce. See you there!

05/07/2026

Our national wildfire data ecosystem remains fragmented.

Today, non-federal partners are often forced to rely on personal connections over standardized processes to access federal data. Meanwhile, federal data managers struggle to consistently aggregate intelligence from non-federal sources.

The third installment in our series on national approaches to wildfire data and technology with the Environmental Policy Innovation Center (EPIC) explores how we can move beyond this "who-you-know" landscape.

By designing policies and technologies explicitly for barrier-free reciprocity, we can ensure that data complement one another and moves freely across agencies and jurisdictions.

Read the latest piece, "Equal and Reciprocal Access to Federal Data for Non-Federal Partners," here: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/equal-and-reciprocal-access-to-federal-data-for-non-federal-partners
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Catch up on the series:
• Part 2 (Operations-Centered Innovation): https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/operations-centered-innovation-pathways
• Part 1 (Effective Governance): https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/effective-governance-in-an-open-wildfire-data-ecosystem

Co-Written by: Cole Von Glahn What’s the best potluck outcome? A beautiful spread evenly balanced across dish types where everyone brings their best recipe to the table and gets to pick and choose a plate that’s perfect for their palate. But, have you ever been to a potluck where a bunch of peop...

04/29/2026

Innovative technology isn’t useful if it stays stuck in the lab. We need tools practically designed with and for those who rely on them most.

Building on our first post about governance requirements, Part 2 of our series with the Environmental Policy Innovation Center focuses on the end user. "Operations-Centered Innovation Pathways" looks at how we can create a continuous feedback loop between researchers, fire management personnel, and R&D to ensure technology is purposefully built for and seamlessly deployed to the field.

Read the second installment here: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/operations-centered-innovation-pathways

Missed the first post on effective governance? Revisit it here: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/effective-governance-in-an-open-wildfire-data-ecosystem

Co-Written by James Puerini Somewhere mid-way down the mountainous scrapheap of failed startups, one can find the dented chassis of a countertop juicer named the Juicero . The device ranged in cost from $400 - $700, was only compatible with proprietary QR-coded juice packs, and was ultimately s

04/28/2026

Nothing scales like public action. That’s why CWI is dedicated to identifying and removing the barriers to community-level wildfire resilience.

Through our on-the-ground work in Incline Village, Nevada County, and Los Angeles, we’ve seen how hard it is for homeowners to overcome the high up-front costs of protecting their property.

To help address this universal hurdle, we’ve launched the Wildfire Risk Reduction Grants Tool. This new resource aggregates state, local, and federal grants and rebates designed to help California homeowners afford home hardening, defensible space, and zone zero improvements.

We need your help! We are currently in the beta phase and are seeking feedback from our peers across the field.

Explore the tool here: https://www.resilienthomefund.org/

Once you’ve clicked through to a funding page, please fill out our short popup survey on the site or reach out at [email protected] to offer feedback!

Together, we can make wildfire safety a reality for every neighborhood.

04/22/2026

As wildfires become more frequent and intense, our response can’t afford to be held back by fragmented data and technology systems. We need a unified approach to better protect our communities and landscapes.

We are proud to partner with the Environmental Policy Innovation Center on a new four-part blog series exploring the future of wildfire intelligence.

Our first piece, "Effective Governance in an Open Wildfire Data Ecosystem" looks at how a federated, national wildfire intelligence capability can help bridge the gap between scientific research and real-world application.

By breaking down data silos, we can empower researchers and firefighters alike with the information they need to safeguard people and places.

Read the first installment in our series here: https://www.policyinnovation.org/insights/effective-governance-in-an-open-wildfire-data-ecosystem

Co-Written By: Cole von Glahn Introduction: A Crisis in Need of Coordination Wildland fire management is at a critical turning point, driven by an escalating wildfire crisis, rapid advances in data and technology, and historic federal policy change proposals. Until now, the effectiveness of our

04/16/2026

Earlier this week in Napa Valley, the Climate & Wildfire Institute convened leaders from across California’s fire, research, and wine communities for a timely and important discussion on the role of prescribed fire in protecting one of the state’s most iconic industries.

What stood out most was the spirit of collaboration. Fire practitioners, scientists, agency leaders, and vintners came together with a shared understanding: scaling prescribed fire is essential to reducing catastrophic wildfire risk, and doing so successfully will require continued partnership, communication, and innovation.

We are encouraged by the momentum and leadership in the room and grateful to everyone who contributed their expertise and perspective.

A special thank you to our sponsors for making this convening possible: CAL FIRE, Napa Valley Vintners, and the California Fire Science Consortium at UC Berkeley. And finally, cheers to our wonderful venue and site hosts, The Culinary Institute of America at Copia!



(Photo Credit: Joshua Mott, Information Officer II, CAL FIRE)

04/07/2026

As California heads into what could be an intense wildfire season, critical questions remain unanswered.

Between staffing uncertainties, federal agency restructuring, and rapidly escalating climate conditions, communities are being asked to prepare without the full picture.

At CWI, we believe good data is fundamental to protecting the people and places we care about. Ensuring decision-makers and communities have the information they need isn’t just important — it’s essential.

Read the full story in Politico California Climate: https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-climate/2026/04/01/californias-fire-outlook-hot-dry-and-federally-reorganized-00854962

03/18/2026

Thank you to the incredible sponsors who helped make the Climate & Wildfire Institute’s Signature Convening on March 17 in Jamestown, California a success.

By bringing together leaders from across the wildfire and climate resilience community, this convening created space for meaningful collaboration and practical solutions to the growing wildfire challenge.

We are grateful for the sponsorship of:
Google
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies (Western Fire and Forest Resilience Collaborative)
Milliman
Yosemite Rivers Alliance
Vibrant Planet
California Tahoe Conservancy
BurnBot
Liberty Utilities
Fire Aside

Thank you for your commitment to advancing wildfire resilience across California and the Western U.S.!