Message from the Editor

I’m excited to accept the job of Managing Editor of Fire Ecology. My first objective is to continue the excellent performance of Jan van Wagtendonk, our retiring Managing Editor. He’s left some pretty big shoes to fill, but I will endeavor to make the transition seamless. My first challenge is to maintain the timeliness of journal publication. I’ll be working with our Associate Editors to ensure timely review of submitted manuscripts, broaden the geographical scope of published manuscripts, and increase the impact factor of the journal. Of course, time from original submission to publication also depends on the amount of revision required and the time it takes for authors to revise their manuscripts.

We have been discussing the adoption of the Open Journal System (OJS), which should help streamline the peer review process. We might possibly also adopt the OJS publication system sometime in the future. In the next year or two, we hope to publish some special issues, focusing on particular topics of interest (e.g., fire and alien species, fire and old-growth forests, etc.). Recently, the Association for Fire Ecology Board approved a manuscript charge (rather than a page charge), and I’ll be working to smoothly manage that process as it is first implemented in this issue of the journal.

The Association for Fire Ecology has always held high standards for Fire Ecology, and I’m committed to maintaining those ideals. We’re always looking for excellent manuscripts, so send them along!