Message from the Editor

Welcome to the December 2006 issue of Fire Ecology.

A beginning is a very delicate time, and I would like to thank all the people who have helped begin Fire Ecology. Many authors and reviewers have put considerable time and effort into developing the manuscripts found in the journal. The entire board of directors of the Association for Fire Ecology has been invaluable in providing guidance and direction for the journal. I am also deeply indebted to all the people have believed in this journal and helped move it forward. It has been an extremely rewarding and challenging task to work with so many excellent researchers and writers to bring together a single forum for fire ecology.

After this issue of Fire Ecology is available, I will be stepping down as Managing Editor, and I am pleased to report that and Jan van Wagtendonk will be stepping in to this position. I will continue my involvement with the journal as a Co-Editor.

We have been striving to develop the journal to provide a wide forum for various types of writing and research. Our last issue included an essay by Stephan Pyne. This issue we are introducing a section for articles looking at “Practices and Application in Fire Ecology.” We also intend to add a new section titled “Short Communications” for those articles that include observations or other brief material that may be of interest to the readers of Fire Ecology. Also, special issues on fire severity and wildland fire use, which resulted from the 3rd International Congress in San Diego, are in development.

We ask you to support your journal by submitting your fire ecology research papers, short communications, book reviews, and articles for the forum, where you can discuss issues, management, policy, opinions, and responses to previous articles.