Fire refugia are defined as areas less frequently or less severely affected by wildfire relative to the surrounding landscape and important for the persistence of biota. Land managers and researchers were invited to participate in a two half-day workshop to gain insight on the factors that influence land management strategies on fire refugia. The workshop objectives were to (1) establish a list of possible management actions for managing fire refugia and (2) identify examples of the placement of these management activities within a fire. Additionally, we identified unburned islands of high and low values on a GIS during the workshop.

Nineteen participants from across the Pacific Northwest attended the workshop; they included 12 natural resource managers and 7 researchers. Due to the timing of a federal government shutdown, many federal attendees were unable to attend. Agencies represented were: Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, USDA Forest Service, Idaho Department of Lands, and Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Additionally, we had representation from the University of Idaho, the University of California Davis, private landowners, and a congressional staffer.