Jonathan Yoder
Jonathan Yoder, right, associate professor in economic sciences, examines the economic risks of wildfire mitigation. His research focuses specifically on the difficult economic tradeoffs and institutional barriers inherent in taking a balanced approach to forest management and wildfire risk mitigation. Since the Great North Idaho wildfires of 1910, wildfire policy in the United States has focused primarily on the suppression of wildfires.
According to Dr. Yoder, much can be done to lower risk before a wildfire ignites, such as clearing vegetation to reduce available "fuel," especially around buildings and other highly valued properties. Prescribed fire may, in some circumstances, be a useful tool for managing wildfire danger and the overall structure of ecological systems since excluding all wildfire from an ecosystem can erode its health and lead to more intense and destructive future wildfires. Although prescribed fires can escape and cause damage, not managing vegetation growth may set the stage for lead to even more damage. Prescribed fires are critical to the conservation and restoration of ecosystems.
Contact Info
E-mail: yoder@wsu.edu