Wildland fire is a natural part of a large portion of both North American and global ecosystems. The current conversations on how to prepare homes, neighborhoods and broader landscapes are spanning the globe. No matter where a person lives, the basics of how wildland fire burns and what residents can do to protect their homes hold true. Kari will explore some of these fundamentals and introduce resources on where attendees can learn more.

Kari Hines currently serves the State of Texas as the Firewise Coordinator for the Texas A&M Forest Service. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Northern Arizona University she joined the agency as an inventory forester and has worked in the Wildfire Mitigation and Prevention Department for 10 years, as a mitigation field specialist and team lead before her current role. Kari holds multiple National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualifications including Public Information Officer Type, Incident Commander Type 5, and Wildland Firefighter Type 1. Additionally, she holds Certified Arborist credentials through the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). Kari is the creator and lead instructor for the ISA Wildfire Risk Reduction qualification course, emphasizing her desire to balance community wildfire preparedness with natural resource sustainability.