Department of Interior Wildland Fire Service BLM-National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Joint Fire Science Program (JFSP)Fire Leaders And Managers, Emerging Scientists (FLAMES)

The Joint Fire Science Program administered through the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management at the National Interagency Fire Center supports applied research that improves the understanding and management of wildland fire. This specific opportunity, titled Fire Leaders And Managers, Emerging Scientists (FLAMES), is designed to support graduate-level researchers while strengthening the connection between scientific research and practical fire management. The program reflects a federal priority to integrate science into policy and operational decision-making related to wildfire, prescribed fire, and ecosystem resilience. The purpose of the FLAMES award is to provide master’s and doctoral students with experiential learning opportunities that enhance the management relevance of their research. The program emphasizes professional development, mentorship, and collaboration between emerging scientists and fire management practitioners. By requiring engagement with real-world fire management activities, the program seeks to ensure that academic research contributes directly to operational and policy needs in wildland fire management. Funding supports small-scale research projects that extend a student’s existing thesis or dissertation work. Projects must be new and unfunded, though they must build upon an approved academic research plan. Allowable activities include conducting supplemental research, participating in prescribed fire or wildfire operations, attending program-organized virtual meetings, and engaging in at least one in-person event such as workshops or field tours. Awardees must also produce a management-relevant product, such as a webinar or factsheet, demonstrating the application of their research to fire management. Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status that are not institutions of higher education, but the program specifically targets graduate students enrolled at U.S. colleges or universities. These students must be pursuing research in wildland fire or closely related physical, biological, or social sciences. Proposals must align with one or more specified topic areas, including fuels management and prescribed fire, changing fire environments, emissions and air quality, fire effects and post-fire recovery, and human dimensions of fire management. Proposals outside these areas are not considered. The application process requires submission through the Joint Fire Science Program website rather than Grants.gov. Applicants must prepare a proposal describing their research project and its relevance to fire management or policy questions. The proposal must demonstrate alignment with program priorities and include evidence of advisor or committee approval. There are no provisions for late submissions, and strict adherence to the submission deadline is required. The application deadline is September 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM Mountain Time. The opportunity was posted on July 7, 2026, and applications are currently being accepted. Approximately twelve awards are expected, with funding ranging from 5,000 to 40,000 dollars per project and a total program funding pool of 500,000 dollars. There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement. While no explicit award notification timeline is provided, the structured program requirements indicate a defined project period during which students must complete research, participate in cohort activities, and engage with practitioners. Contact information is limited to a named grantor representative, Patricia Glass, for assistance with accessing the announcement. Additional program requirements and task-specific guidance are available through the Joint Fire Science Program database website. The program does not explicitly state recurrence, but similar opportunities may be offered periodically based on federal funding cycles and program priorities.