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kariachi · 1 year

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Until I can write worldbuilding, consider this fluffy Osmobeast centaur au fic my holiday gift to you all. Not seasonal, but it involves baby pictures and these two being adorable both together and individually, so-

“Okay, here we go, oldest picture of me I still have.” It wasn’t a favorite, but after everything that had happened in his childhood, there were only so many things he had left from it all. A dozen or so pictures, some books, one of his dad’s watches. So even a picture he didn’t find particularly interesting was still worth showing off. Curled around him the way only somebody several hundred pounds larger than you could, arms draped around his shoulders and chin nestled between his antlers, Kevin cooed.

“You were so cute,” he said, “and it’s so weird seeing you not green.” Gar chuckled.

“Yeah, this was a ways before all of that.” He couldn’t have been more than a few months old, all spots and long legs and big eyes. It’d been taken in some lab or another, little fawn him settled in a taped off spot in a corner, dressed in bright purple underwear, a little see-through plastic lab blanket and coat, and fawn-sized safety goggles. He really had been adorable. “Don’t know why my parents went for see-through.”

“The spots are half the adorable of a fawn.”

“That answers that then.” Gar went to the next one- him a few years older, still pre-powers, still spotted, stood next to his dad and wearing a near exact replica of his outfit. Tall hoof boots, solid color leg wraps, a short blanket, long-sleeved button-up, and a vest with more pockets than someone his age would’ve ever known what to do with. Fuck, he was coming into his mid-twenties now and he still wouldn’t know what to do with them all. “These are all I’ve got of me before… everything. All the rest of them are just my parents or have me post-powers.” Kevin nodded, pressing a kiss to his hair as he moved on to one of his mom, stood laughing at the dinner table with a mug of coffee in her hand.

“They’re great pictures. Can see the start of how damn pretty you’d be in your parents.”

“Aww. Thanks, hun.” With a hum, Kevin shifted enough to get Gar to edge aside and let him stand up.

“One sec.” As he vanished off into the bedroom, Gar continued flipping through the pictures. With much purpose he slipped one into the ‘already shown’ section, hidden away. He was in the mood to share pictures, but not that one, of him in that brief period between knowing he wouldn’t die and getting the shapeshifter label. Not pretty nor pleasant to remember. The bang of Kevin pronking in the other room pulled him from bad memories- and wouldn’t the fact Kevin was over eight-hundred pounds and could pronk always amaze and delight him- turning to watch as he trotted over and settled back into place behind him.

“I have,” he said as they got back into position, voice quiet and soft, like he was sharing a secret, “one picture from when I was little. Was what I managed to grab when everything went... well.” Gar nodded his understanding, turning his head to rub an antler against Kevin’s cheek.

The presented image wasn’t- couldn’t have been- as old as Gar’s eldest had been, but it looked like it. Worn, folded, clearly exposed to the world and elements for years as Kevin had carried it with him through dimensions and across the galaxy. Still you could easily make out the focus. A mule deer doe, exhausted and exasperated, laid in a hospital room and robes. She had what was far too large to be anything but a moose calf- and Gar nearly flinched at the not-near-enough size differences of the people in the image- curled at her flank, with an array of spots in his russet fur and a blue band loose around one ankle. Worse for the poor mother, there was a second one- this one’s spotting much fainter- stood half on his sibling, a pink band around the ankle and pink bandaged wrapped firm around one wrist and hand.

“Guess the twin.” Kevin smile was clear in his tone and Gar couldn’t have stopped himself from matching it if he tried.

“Well,” he said, pointing at the first calf, “this one’s eyes look blue, so… Gonna guess you’re the one who already hurt himself.”

“Supposedly I managed twenty minutes before I found something to launch myself off in naïve excitement,” came the laughing response. “Eric was like you, he had those fawn genes where you could just put him somewhere and he’d stay put. I was the bad twin right out the womb.”

“None of that,” Gar said, elbowing him. “If you’re the bad twin none of us would’ve been able to meet the standards he’d have set.”

“If you say so, babe.”

“You were really cute though.” He had been, him and his brother both, with massive fluffy ears, miles of leg, and big bright eyes. “Almost want it framed.”

“You can frame this one and put it up, but only if I get to frame you in those little goggles.” Hmm. It was a tough call. Could it even be framed, with the state of it? Gar had no idea, and the idea of his own baby pictures on display was mildly embarrassing. But then, having nicer memories, ones from when things hadn’t gone to hell, hanging up where they didn’t have to go dig them up- That might be nice.

A bit of his heart melted and panicked in turn as the words ‘family photos’ crossed his brain.

“Remind me later, we’ll look into getting them done all nice and proper. If we grab one of us we can tie it all together, too.” Kevin practically purred into his hair, grip tightening, and the melting portion of his heart won out.

“Sounds like a plan to me.”

#fanfic #love how i keep swtiching between uaf-compliant and ov_compliant in these things #this one leans more ov-compliant #these morons: holy fuck he was so cute as a fawn/calf #why yes the state of kevin is a callback to another fic #tiny!gar was fucking *adorable*#'pronking' in the proper term for when small deer and antelope just go straight up into the air #note the 'small'#a fucking moose should not be able to do that #but kevin has super strength #gar can do it do but that doesn't stop the disaster being delighted whenever kevin does it

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copperbora · 1 year

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About a month ago, my work friend J hired me to walk her stud Welsh corgi (Cardigan/Pembroke cross - yes, there are two breeds of corgi,) Whiskey. This has been my first time getting to walk and really spend time with a dog and it has been the best kind of learning curve.

I love Whiskey; he is such a topnotch friend and I have discovered so much from him already. Going into this I was armed only with decades of truly obsessive research about canines. I knew to keep a vast horde of dog bags in my pocket and carry treats but I didn't realize at the start that I really should also carry hand sanitizer because picking up pup poop isn't always the most... hygienic experience. Still, I do it diligently and it really isn't a big deal, so those people who think picking up warm dog poop with a bag is too disgusting? Get over yourselves. It's a complete non-issue although I'm always delighted at the sight of a garbage can so that I can free up my hands.

Again: hand sanitizer is your friend!

Also, it's better if the leash is attached to your waist; I just use an old leather belt around my middle and it's kinda amazing how well this completely curbs Whiskey's desire to pretend to be a sled dog racing the Iditarod. It's additionally just nicer having my hands free and I can get cuter pictures of Whiskey this way. (Although he admittedly rarely stops moving.)

It's fun. We hike for an hour, approximately five kilometres which is good exercise and mental stimulation for both of us. I'm a human with rather terrible mental health and he's a dog who spends many of his days being bored out of his mind at home. On the trail we both relax and find peace, which brings me to my favourite things that I have learned from Whiskey.

Walking with Whiskey we often find things that I never would have noticed hiking by myself.

He's led me to a dead fish no doubt dropped by an osprey, a dead mouse, a bone, and an absolutely enormous nest of woodland ants. He's even pointed out wildlife to me, like this herd of mule deer!

And, most importantly, he keeps me company. Hiking alone for years has been hard on me; my parents can no longer keep up so I usually find myself going solo. It hurts, remembering the days when I used to have trail companions but I don't feel lonely hiking anymore with Whiskey!

I think the very best thing about him though is that he truly cares. Today, driving back to his home I got spooked by a male human suddenly coming up to my car when I paused for another pedestrian. The moment we were safely away Whiskey nuzzled my face and I felt much better.

I knew that dogs were pretty smart but Whiskey is definitely a full person in a vertically challenged canine body. From the unimpressed looks he gives me when he is pooping and he notices me watching to how he lets me walk onto a hillock to check out a view then gently but firmly leads me back onto the trail, he's a whole person.

I really feel deeply grateful for getting to have him as a hiking partner; he's a really good boy.

Here's to many more trails together.

#corgilove #corgi #corgis of tumblr #hiking #dog walking #pnwlove #pnwexplored #pnwadventures #british columbia

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sheri42 · 11 days

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Mule Deer and Guthrie

deer's wariness and the dog's presence #smallpoems #clmooc #poetry24 #poetry #napowrimo #napowrimo24 #muledeer #dogwalkin

Daily Note Every day, a photograph, a poem. On one of our walks through Cole Park this week, I snapped this picture. The deer had been in the park road, saw Guthrie coming, and stotted up the hill. They turned around to watch, as they usually do, wondering, “Is it dangerous?” It’s really amazing. The barely move, just enough to keep an eye on the dog and ever ready to bound away. They are…

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#Cole Park #NaPoWriMo #napowrimo24 #Poetry #poetry24 #Remember the Moments #Slice of Life

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spaceumbredoggos · 20 days

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So much for stardust chapter Nineteen

Kenz’s Point Of View:

“Kenz!!! Kenz!!! Kenz!!!”

I grumbled awake to Dipper slurring in his half-rabid state. Fuck. It’s like he’s drunk. Is this supposed to happen?

Bee walked into the room, noticing Dipper laughing his ass off at pictures of me sleeping. “He’s acting like he brushed his teeth with Jack Daniel’s. Can you make him stop? And also, why is he acting this way?”

Bee was also super alarmed by Dipper’s erratic behavior. “That’s half rabies, half the Umbredoggo venom.”

“Well at least it’s working.” I tried to sit up, but my bones ached. Dipper stumbled on the ground and flopped onto me, causing me to yelp in pain. “GET. HIM. OFF!!!!” I wriggled out from underneath Dipper as he booped me. “Dipper knock it off and go to sleep. You’ll feel better when you wake up.” But Dipper didn’t listen. Instead, he was chewing on one of the wounds on my shoulder. I snapped back and held him down as blood trickled down my shoulder, dripping on Dipper. “You’re making a mess on Bee’s guest bed. With my blood. Stop acting creepy.”

Bee blushed as I stood up. White hot pain surged through me as I noticed the chunk bitten out of my leg. “Just lay back down.”

Dipper got back up and started trying to eat a frosted sugar cookie. However, his throat kept spasming as he tried to swallow, almost causing him to choke. I operated the Heimlich that Ford taught me to use on that one time Stan tried to eat a live cicada (gross.) and managed to get Dipper breathing again. He gasped for breath and smiled. “You saved me.” He rubbed my head and blushed, totally delirious and out of his mind. He’s crushing on me bad.

“Kenz?!”

“Yeah, Bee?”

“Do you have a moment?” I tried to stand up, only to feel the pain in my torn calf. “You might have to pull me aside.” Bee carried me into the other room and gave a heaving sigh. “I think I know where Dipper got rabies from, and it’s not very good.”

“Rabies by itself isn’t really good. It’s usually fatal. He just has uncanny plot convenience in the form of a friend who happens to have the only cure.” I sat down on the couch, noticing some scratches in it. “Hey, where the hell did these come from?”

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” Bee pulled up a picture of a deer with a long bushy tail, cat-like paws, and sharp canine teeth. I recognized the snowy white Big Dipper marking on the forehead. The antlers were similar to that of a mule deer, and the sharp teeth was similar to that of a wolf’s stuffed in a deer’s mouth. “Is that Dipper?”

“He got rabies from a weredego—“

“Is that like a Wendigo werewolf hybrid?” Bee nodded as I felt a chill down my spine. “He’s cursed to transform into that form whenever he goes into his rabid phases. But he can eventually transform into it at will.”

“Are you sure?” I bristled, feeling the feral Umbredoggo brain in the back of my mind snarl at him, seeing him as competition. “We should tell Ford immediately.”

“I already told him.”

“Is there a way to break the curse? This is gonna crush him. He’s already gonna be crushed when he hears that he can’t be with Pacifica, or anyone really, due to the risk of transmitting rabies.” My heart tore itself in half for Dipper. The poor bean. I wasn’t there to protect him from this.

“Kenz, you’re gonna have to keep an eye on him at all times. Until he can control this.”

“I can’t control my umbredoggo form either. As of yet, at least.” I grumbled, thinking about how badly Dipper was crushing on me. “And another thing. Why is Dipper suddenly fawning over me?”

“I don’t think he even knows what he’s doing.” Bee looked pained, like she felt terrible for letting it happen. “So, how are we gonna break the news to him? And to Mabel, and to the town… His parents… I know he’s a grown adult, at eighteen, but he’s only just.”

“So are you.”

“I turn nineteen in May. It’s already April. He doesn’t turn nineteen until August.” I limped to the room Dipper was in. He was thankfully asleep. I laid down next to him, wiping some of the froth off his mouth. “We should be heading back to the shack pretty soon.”

“I think you’re gonna be sharing a room with Dipper because of his—“

“Wait! Umbredoggos are predators. Deer is one of their prey items of choice.”

“Dipper isn’t technically a deer. He has some traits associated with werewolves and wendigo’s.”

“You’re right. Fuck. That tumblr post about what if deer were predators. It’s all coming to life.”

Bee drove us back to the Shack as Ford walked me in to the living room. Dipper slept the whole ride home, leaning on me and nuzzling me. I carried him to the couch and got some sleep myself.

I woke up to the sound of Ford’s loud snoring. I grunted in irritation as Dipper’s frothy drool soaked my clothes. I stood up, bolting to the shower. I washed my hair and body and came out with a fresh wolf tshirt and pair of grey sweat pants. I sat back down on the couch, nearly rolling in a puddle of Dipper’s drool. “You’re gonna make me do everything, huh?” I stood up, grabbing a bandana and tying it around Dipper’s neck to catch the drool. I cleaned up the drool on the couch, grabbing my phone to watch a movie. I turned on Rio, needing some childhood comfort. “Huh. They put a chain on the two of those birds.”

I heard a massive crash come from the kitchen, which woke Ford up. “I’ll manage this idiot.”

“Kenz, it’s 3 am. You should be asleep.” I glared at Ford and bolted to the kitchen, catching up to Dipper. He was sleep walking and making a mess. I facepalmed and bolted to Dipper. He started to bleat in his sleep. “Oh no you don’t. You’re not transforming into Deerper now.” I held onto Dipper, trying to stifle his deer like tendencies. Dipper squirmed and woke up, drooling on me. “Dipper. You were sleepwalking. Go back to the couch.”

Dipper flailed in my arms, trying to get out. “Let me go!!!” He yelped, swatting at my arms as I tripped on his foot, falling to the ground. Ford burst out laughing as I kept tripping on everything trying to get to get up. “You got him, eh?”

“Shut up and actually be helpful. I can keep an eye on the idiot for a change!!! If he bites you, at best you have to go to the hospital for shots for the next several weeks, and at worst…” A heavy feeling punched me in the gut as I turned my head away, dragging Dipper to the couch and holding him down. “Kenz—“

“Dipper. You have to be more careful.” Is he fully lucid at this point? I wrapped him in blankets and noticed that he wasn’t drooling anymore. Is he aware of the news? He must be terrified. Does he remember anything from being rabid? My heart ached for him, knowing that the first few weeks of recovery would be the hardest.

“Dipper, just go to sleep.”

“Kenz, why are you being so—“

“I said, Go to sleep!!! You were sleep walking!!! And don’t glare at me like that! I know what’s going on!!!” But Dipper kept squirming. “Kenz, let me go.”

“No!!!” I pinned him to the couch. “Look. I don’t know if you’re aware of how serious everything is. You could have died. And you could die. At any point! You’re not healthy and a single bite to anyone would infect them. I’m thy e only one who’s safe to bite. If you go rabid again, you could kill someone.”

Dipper’s eyes widened as he gazed at my wounds. “Did I—“

“It’s not your fault. You don’t know what you are doing half the time. Right now, the world feels so confusing and crazy and you’re all like, how am I not dead yet? I should be dead. The truth is, I care too much to see anyone die.” I held Dipper in the blanket burrito. “Kenz—“

“Dipper, just hold still.” I noticed a tick on his head. “Okay, I’m gonna let you go, but stay still. Ford, get the bug comb. Dipper has a massive tick in his hair.”

“WHAT?!!”

“Have you been going days without a shower?” A whiff of body odor caused me to bolt to the other side of the room. “Dipper. You’re getting a bath. A really long one.”

“You can’t make me.” Dipper stuck out his tongue. “I can.” I carried Dipper to the bathroom and locked the door. “Why did you lock us in here?”

“Because you need to get clean. You need basic hygiene. How do you expect to get better when you smell like a sweaty gym locker?” I started the bath, but Dipper bolted to the door. I tackled him, but he wrestled me off of him. I tripped him. “Dipper. Take your clothes off and get in the tub.”

“Make me.”

“MASON PINES!!!”

“Uh oh!!!” Dipper bolted to the other side of the room as I managed to get his shirt off. “There’s the bite. Dipper, how come you didn’t tell Ford you got bitten by whatever the hell bit you? You could’ve avoided the rabies nightmare and—“

“Shut up!!!” Dipper slipped on a puddle as I grabbed his pants, causing them to come off. “Underwear, now!!!”

“Fuck you.”

“Don’t make this harder on yourself.” I cringed, realizing what I had to do. I eventually managed to get Dipper in the tub. “The water’s fucking hot!!!”

“I elbowed it! It’s perfect temperature.” I doused him in soap, getting the bug comb to get the bugs out. “Fleas, ticks, and head-lice? Okay. I’m getting the heavy duty bug soap. How have you not gotten the bubonic plague or Lyme disease? Also, comb your hair. It’s matted worse than a neglected poodle’s.”

“And your hair is any better?”

“Yes. I actually shower every day. It helps me reset after dealing with your bullshit.” I’m getting sick of your bullshit, Dipper. I grumbled and groaned, glaring at Dipper so that he would actually wash his body and not just sit there. “Do you have to stare at me naked?”

“It’s called doubling. It’s for those who have executive functioning problems such as myself. At least my problems are not hygiene related.”

“I don’t have executive dysfunction.” Dipper rolled his eyes as I drained the tub and washed out all the dead bugs in his hair. Dipper tried to hide the bite wound from me. “Let me see it.”

“No.”

“It smells awful. I think it’s infected.” I held Dipper by his head and gazed at the bite on his torso. “Shit.” I caught a glimpse of a couple of maggots and swallowed back my vomit. “It’s just maggots, Kenz.”

“MAGGOTS?!!!”

“Don’t make this worse than it already is.” I grabbed some hydrogen peroxide and some gauze. “Hold the fuck still and this will be easy. If you squirm and squeal like Waddles, I will bite you and you’ll know what real pain is.”

Dipper froze as I washed my hands and put gloves o. I doused the wound in hydrogen peroxide, flushing the pus and the maggots out. I grabbed Ford’s scalpel and managed to cut out a lot of the infected tissue. Dipper held still the entire time, screaming curses like a baby. I called Ford over.

“Nice job.”

“I had a bit of practice on my own bite wounds.” The wound was free of infected tissue and was bleeding a bright red. “What do you think? Should we stitch it up, cauterize it, or wrap it in gauze and let nature work?”

“I’ll handle it from here.”

“Of course. I’ll hold Dipper still so he doesn’t bite you.” I put Dipper in the same gentle headlock as before, keeping his line of sight away from the wound. “I should’ve called Ford over sooner, but this was an emergency situation and Ford was out getting medicine. He did train me in treating my own wounds.”

“I fucking hate you so much.”

“Believe me, the feeling’s mutual.” Dipper wriggled to get out of my grasp as I rolled my eyes. “For fuck’s sake. Stay still.”

“It hurts.”

“You’re acting like a cheeky ankle biter with all your yapping!!!” Ford burst out laughing at my sudden Australian burst. “You watch too much Bluey.”

“And that’s something I’ll be proud to admit.” I heard a splash as Dipper tackled Ford. I spun back as Ford was struggling to wrestle Dipper off. He’s gone rabid again. Feeling a new energy channel through me, I tackled Dipper in my umbredoggo form. He retaliated by turning into his deer-like form, smacking my face with his paws. I hissed and bit him gently on the scruff, thinking it will immobilize him.

His antlers slashed at my jaw, cutting a vessel that caused electric blue blood to squirt everywhere. I locked antlers with Dipper, fanning my wings out. “This has to stop!!!” I spread my forelegs out in an arched position, growling. The blood draining from the wound on my jaw made me dizzy, and my head spun from the fight for consciousness. I struck Dipper in the skull with a swift nap from my right forepaw, enough to knock him out. I collapsed on the ground, heavily breathing and my flanks heaving from my sides. Ford rushed over to me as I tried to lay protectively on Dipper, keeping him from waking up and moving. Ford approached my head. “Let me see.”

“And risk Dipper waking up in his rabid state and biting you?” I snarled, holding his jaws shut as he flailed and started spazing. “I can knock him out with a tranquilizer.”

“Fine. But do it quickly.” Ford rushed over and jabbed a needle in Dipper’s neck. Dipper bucked me off, but collapsed as the drugs took effect. He passed out as I carried him to his bed before collapsing on it myself.

Ford grabbed me by the scruff, immobilizing me so that he could examine the wound. “You’re lucky it missed your carotid artery. You would have bled out in seconds.” Ford took out a pair of clippers and cut away the fur around the wound. I was in too much shock to really protest as he put stitches in the wound. I panted from exhaustion, walking up to Dipper’s bed and laying on him.

I dipped my head, sighing with exhaustion as the sun rose from the window. Ford patted my head and put a blanket on me. “Get some sleep.”

I nodded, leaning on Dipper. You have to see that things are different now. Dipper started running in his sleep. I put my wing on him to comfort him. He stopped stirring as I dozed off myself.

#gravity falls #self insert #ford pines #dipper pines #so much for stardust #bee helluva boss #helluva boss #angst #rabies #deerper #everything turns to deer for me

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spacetimewithstuartgary · 4 months

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Making Fire Sense on Monroe Mountain

At the start of October 2023, green conifers and golden aspen covered the slopes of Monroe Mountain in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest. Then, starting on October 9, these forests turned black as fire worked its way across the mountain. Flames and smoke were visible for miles.

Unlike wildfires sparked by lightning or accidentally by people, this fire was ignited deliberately with a fire-dripping device suspended from a helicopter. The burn (pictured above), managed by the Richfield Ranger District, aimed to reintroduce fire to the Monroe Mountain region. Fire promotes aspen regeneration and reduces accumulated brush and dead vegetation that could fuel a larger uncontrolled fire.

The managed, or “prescribed” burn also provided an opportunity for researchers to closely examine a high-intensity fire. Dozens of scientists from the Forest Service and other organizations and universities collected data from the ground and from the sky as part of FASMEE, the Fire and Smoke Model Evaluation Experiment. Scientists with NASA’s FireSense project participated, too, collecting data that could ultimately aid wildland fire managers in the future.

“Participating in the prescribed burn offered NASA an opportunity to test technologies and demonstrate their effectiveness in supporting wildland fire management across the life cycle of a fire,” said Michael Falkowski, program manager for the Applied Sciences Wildland Fire program at NASA Headquarters and lead of FireSense.

According to the Monroe Mountain Aspen Ecosystem Restoration Project led by the Forest Service, the number of aspens on this landscape has declined by 70 percent in the past 200 years due to overbrowsing and a lack of fire. Beyond losing a scenic icon of autumn, the decline has implications for the plants and animals supported by the aspen ecosystem, such as elk and mule deer.

In the past, this part of south-central Utah would burn about every 18 years, according to Linda Chappell, a fire ecologist (retired) with the Forest Service. But a history of fire prevention and suppression has allowed conifers to encroach on stands of shade-intolerant aspen. Efforts to cut down the conifers has not been enough. Aspens need fire.

The photo below (top) shows the South Monroe burn on October 18 after the prescribed burn had mostly run its course. Puffs of smoke (not visible) occasionally rose from the still-smoldering hillside that day. In all, fire managers successfully burned about 1,400 acres (5.7 square kilometers) of forest. It remains to be seen if new aspen shoots will emerge from the blackened ground.

Prescribed burns do not replicate the 18-year cycle exactly. Fire managers have to consider things like fuel moisture, proximity to people and private land, and the amount of resources and time invested in each burn. But they have an increasing array of tools, data, and expertise to help them identify the best weather windows for conducting safe and effective burns, the places that would benefit the most from managed fire, and the best ways to minimize fire’s impact on people.

Aiding that effort is FASMEE, the multi-agency experiment led by the USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station. The burn on Monroe Mountain in October 2023 was the fourth FASMEE-affiliated burn in Fishlake National Forest since 2019, among others across the U.S. West and Southeast.

Beyond the benefits for aspen recovery, the Monroe Mountain burn is informing over a dozen research projects. Some of them are ecological studies, such as an investigation to find out how bats respond to fire, led by Boise State University, and an assessment of post-fire aspen regeneration, led by the Tall Timbers Research Institute. Other projects will improve the models that inform firefighting strategies, smoke forecasts, and carbon and climate research.

“This is the perfect natural laboratory for fire,” said Jacquelyn Shuman, a forest ecologist at NASA’s Ames Research Center, and project scientist for NASA’s FireSense project.

High-intensity prescribed burns, like the one on Monroe Mountain, closely resemble wildland fires. But because the fires are planned, scientists can measure the landscape before the burn, as well as during and after. They can probe the soil’s moisture content, set up air sampling devices, and map the forest’s fuel load and calculate fuel consumption.

They balance all these tasks while staying flexible to just-right burn conditions; that is, a period of dry, not-too-windy weather, followed by a period of snow or rain that ensures the fire will die out.

Three NASA aircraft arrived in Richfield for the burn. Their participation in FASMEE was a first for FireSense, a NASA project that includes field campaigns to evaluate and improve science resources delivered to operational fire agencies. One of the aircraft, NASA’s Gulfstream III, is pictured above at the Richfield Municipal Airport on October 17, 2023.

“The airborne perspective will allow FASMEE researchers to better understand fire behavior and smoke production, and hopefully someday support increasing the use of beneficial prescribed fire to mitigate fire risk, restore degraded ecosystems, and protect human communities from catastrophic fire,” Falkowski said.

Airborne data collected before, during, and after the burn on Monroe Mountain will help characterize the entire life cycle of the fire, covering a larger area than is possible from ground-based instruments alone. Data from the radar and optical instruments aboard the aircraft will be used to map the forest’s composition and the moisture in its soils and fuels. Researchers can also track how the fire grew, whether it was flaming or smoldering, and the concentration of smoke particles it lofted into the air.

“Like an angler might use a depth finder to help them decide where to fish, fire managers can use airborne data to help make decisions about a fire,” Shuman said. She noted that these data are a tool, supplementing fire managers’ knowledge of the landscape with additional insights from above. “The ultimate goal of FireSense is to improve the experience for fire managers and to mitigate the risk for firefighters and communities.”

Photo (top) by Grace Weikert/NASA GSFC. All other photos by Milan Loiacono/NASA ARC. Satellite image by Wanmei Liang/NASA Earth Observatory, using MODIS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE and GIBS/Worldview. Story by Kathryn Hansen.

#science #space #nasa #news #earth observatory

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