The Science of Wildfire Management

Lottery entry opens January 9 and closes January 16. Regular registration opens January 15.
Dates: December 13, 2024
Meets: F from 12 N to 1:30 PM
 Location: Online
Cost:  $0.00
Date Day Time
12/13/2024Friday12 N to 1:30 PM

The OLLI at MSU December Friday Forum will feature a virtual presentation and analysis of wildfire management in Montana, using the recent Bridger Range fire as a case study. On September 4, 2020, a small wisp of smoke from a single burning tree near the historic "M" started what would become a devastating wildfire, burning over 8,000 acres and destroying 68 structures, including 30 homes. The Custer Gallatin fire crew responded and, along with many other agencies, emergency responders and volunteers, fought hard to control the blaze.

Featured speakers include Corey Lewellen, the Bozeman District Ranger for the Custer Gallatin National Forest, and Tonja Opperman, the Assistant Director of Fire Analytics for the Intermountain Region of the US Forest Service.

You can easily register using our registration system if you are a current OLLI member. Participants must register no later than 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 13. If you are not an OLLI member, do not wish to use the OLLI registration system, or wish to register after registrations close, click or tap here to register directly through Zoom. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program.

Friday Forum offers presentations and lively discussions on local and regional timely topics. Friday Forum is free and open to the public.

Fee:  $0.00

Online

This is a real-time (live) online class that meets at the specified day(s)/time(s) listed.

We will send you a reminder email with login instructions one business day before the program start date. If there are additional sessions, we will send reminders the morning of those sessions.

Corey Lewellen

Corey Lewellen is the Bozeman District Ranger for the Custer Gallatin National Forest. Previously, he was the District Ranger for the Townsend Ranger District for the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest since 2014. He started his Forest Service career in the Willamette National Forest in Oregon as a fish technician, a fisheries biologist, an Assistant Aquatics Program Manager and an Endangered Species Act consultation biologist. He also worked for the White River National Forest in Colorado as a District Fisheries Biologist and detailed as a Deputy District Ranger for the Aspen-Sopris Ranger District.