Department of Interior Wildland Fire Service BLM-National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Fire Leaders And Managers, Emerging Scientists (FLAMES)
This grant supports US graduate students in wildland fire sciences to conduct management-relevant research, gain hands-on experience, and participate in professional development activities.
Funder: Bureau of Land Management
Due Dates: September 17, 2026 (Full proposal submission deadline)
Funding Amounts: $5,000–$40,000 per award; total program funding up to $500,000; up to 12 awards expected
Summary: Supports master’s and doctoral students in wildland fire and related sciences to conduct research and gain experiential learning relevant to fire management and policy.
Key Information: Proposals must be submitted via the JFSP website, not Grants.gov.
Description
The U.S. Wildland Fire Service Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP) Fire Leaders And Managers, Emerging Scientists (FLAMES) award provides funding to current master’s and doctoral students in the U.S. for research in wildland fire and related physical, biological, or social sciences. The program is designed to enhance students’ exposure to fire management and policy, facilitate experiential learning with fire practitioners, and foster peer learning and professional development. Projects must supplement the student’s approved thesis or dissertation research and address management- or policy-relevant questions within specific fire science topic areas.
Awardees will:
- Complete a research project extending their thesis/dissertation work.
- Participate in practical fire management activities.
- Attend virtual cohort meetings and at least one in-person science-management event.
- Produce at least one management-relevant product (e.g., webinar, factsheet).
Research must align with JFSP’s mission and goals, and proposals must address one or more of the following areas:
- Fuels management and prescribed fire
- Changing fire environment
- Emissions and air quality
- Fire effects and post-fire recovery
- Human dimensions of fire management
Proposals outside these topics will not be reviewed.
