The National Science Foundation (NSF) is offering funding through the Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education (FIRE) program. This initiative seeks to support innovative multidisciplinary research and education activities aimed at advancing understanding and response strategies for wildland fires. The program recognizes the increasing complexity and impact of wildland fires and encourages coordinated scientific research across various disciplines, including engineering, geoscience, biology, social sciences, and computer science. The ultimate goal is to foster a proactive and scalable approach to fire science that integrates various perspectives and enhances knowledge of the interactions between biological, social, and geophysical processes.

The FIRE program supports proposals across three primary focus areas: (1) Next Generation Coupled Fire Models (FIRE-MODEL), (2) Enhancing Capacity for Fire Resilience in the Wildland-Urban Interface (FIRE-WUI), and (3) Fire Science Innovations through Research and Education Networks (FIRE-NET). FIRE-MODEL supports research on predictive modeling of wildland fires and smoke, requiring advancements in theoretical and computational methodologies. FIRE-WUI focuses on community adaptation and infrastructure resilience at the wildland-urban interface, where human settlements and wildland areas meet, fostering research on risk management, governance, and mitigation strategies. FIRE-NET aims to develop collaborative research and education networks that enhance coordination, knowledge sharing, and interdisciplinary collaboration among various stakeholders in fire science.

The program invites applications from a wide range of organizations, including academic institutions, scientists, community groups, industry representatives, and Tribal organizations. Proposals must demonstrate strengths in one or more of the following areas: new data collection and analysis techniques, computational modeling, interdisciplinary research on fire dynamics, strategies for community adaptation, and innovations in reducing vulnerability to wildland fires. The NSF encourages projects that integrate diverse expertise and perspectives to generate impactful solutions and knowledge.

The FIRE program follows a structured application and evaluation process. Proposals must be submitted in accordance with the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide, with requirements differing based on whether applications are submitted via Research.gov or Grants.gov. The proposal submission windows occur annually, with the next deadlines set between June 12-20, 2025, and February 3-10, 2026. Applications must be submitted by 5 PM in the submitting organization’s local time. Proposals will be reviewed in consultation with partner organizations such as NASA, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and the Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP-ESTCP).

Funding amounts, award ceilings, and total program funding are not explicitly stated but will depend on proposal scope and evaluation outcomes. Proposals will be assessed based on their potential for advancing fire science, interdisciplinary collaboration, and educational impact. The NSF encourages projects that integrate cutting-edge scientific approaches, stakeholder engagement, and workforce training in wildland fire science.

For additional details and inquiries, applicants can contact program directors via the designated email wildlandfire@nsf.gov or specific contacts such as John E. Kolassa (jkolassa@nsf.gov) and David Wilmouth (dwilmout@nsf.gov). The NSF headquarters is located at 2415 Eisenhower Ave, Alexandria, VA 22314, and can be reached at (703) 292-5111. The program's full solicitation details and updates are available on the NSF website.