March 2023

Modeling study sheds light on how bark beetle infestations affect wildfires

The research could someday help fire managers better decide on how to dedicate resources in fighting fires and removing fuel. In particular, the researchers hope that managers can better assess where, when, and how they should allocate resources when there is a beetle outbreak in a forest.

High winds can worsen pathogen spread at outdoor chicken farms

Farmers who keep their chickens outdoors may want to watch the weather. A study of chicken farms in the West found that high winds increased the prevalence of Campylobacter in outdoor flocks, a bacterial pathogen in poultry that is the largest single cause of foodborne illness in the U.S.