Wildfires are increasing in frequency, intensity and destructiveness across the eastern United States. To help address these growing threats, North Carolina State University professor Robert Scheller and colleagues have joined a new, federally funded multi-institutional effort known as the Eastern Fire Network (EFNet). 

Established in January 2026, EFNet convenes experts from six institutions “to develop a coordinated, forward-looking research agenda” for future studies focused on wildfires in the eastern U.S. It is led by Pennsylvania State University and is funded by a $1.74 million, three-year grant administered by the National Science Foundation. 

“Wildfire is a complex problem that can’t be addressed by any one discipline. Through EFNet, we’re bringing together scientists and practitioners from across disciplines to understand this challenge from different perspectives and develop research and solutions that can make a difference in the East,” Scheller said. 

Scheller, a professor in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, serves as a co-principal investigator for EFNet alongside Jelena Vukomanovic, an associate professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, and Branda Nowell, a professor in the School of Public and International Affairs.

The NC State team has extensive experience in fire ecology and wildfire management. Scheller and Vukomanovic use advanced simulation and modeling technologies to demonstrate how future fire management policies, climate change scenarios and shifting human development patterns could impact wildfire risk. 

EFNet members participate in meetings and workshops where they collaborate with scientists and practitioners across disciplines — ecology, climate science, social science and policy — to identify long-term research needs for wildfire management and preparedness across the eastern U.S. 

Wildfire research has historically been concentrated in the western U.S., where large, frequent fires have drawn significant attention from scientists, policymakers and land managers. This has led to the establishment of multi-institutional initiatives like the Western Fire and Forest Resilience Collaborative. 

Such initiatives have only existed informally in the eastern U.S., leaving regional wildfire scientists and practitioners more fragmented and less connected. EFNet aims to close that gap by providing opportunities for stakeholders to share knowledge, strengthen partnerships and develop collaborative approaches.

As Scheller and other members of the NC State team work with EFNet collaborators to develop a research agenda, they are considering several key questions, including how wildfire in the eastern U.S. compares with wildfire in the western U.S. and what those similarities and differences mean for wildfire risk assessment and wildfire management. 

One challenge in the eastern U.S. is the large amount of land in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), where human developments have been built in close proximity to natural areas with unmanaged vegetation — a major fuel source for wildfires. This increases the potential for more dangerous wildfires, according to Scheller. 

“Even though fires are never going to get as large or as hot in the East as they do in the West, the potential for loss of life and property is probably greater because so much more land is in the WUI,” Scheller said.

EFNet workshops include land managers and other practitioners from across the eastern U.S., allowing them to discuss challenges they’re encountering and what opportunities might enhance wildfire management. This will allow EFNet to incorporate research in the agenda that addresses real-world needs, according to Scheller.

“Scientists aren’t often thinking about management needs, but it’s important that we understand what managers are dealing with and what information they need. That input can help us ask better research questions and make sure the work we’re doing is useful to the people making decisions on the ground,” Scheller said. 

In addition to developing the EFNet research agenda, the NC State team is also helping coordinate the initiative’s graduate student training program. The program connects graduate students with researchers and practitioners to co-design solutions to real-world wildfire challenges. 

Students live and work at a host institution for approximately nine weeks in the summer. In addition to conducting research, students take part in orientation activities, weekly discussions with EFNet team members and stakeholder workshops. EFNet covers travel costs and provides stipends for students who participate.