Abstract:  How do we balance the need to protect people and property from forest and rangeland fires with the ecological realities? Fires will occur, and we are likely to have more large, severe fires in the northern Rockies as climate changes. Extensive, widespread fires occurred in the past whenever warm, dry summers followed warm springs 1650-2003. Since 1986, fire seasons have become 78 days longer. With more people living in fire-prone areas and invasive species often fueling fires, fire managers and our society face many challenges. In the Wildland Fire Program, we educate leaders, work with leaders and are leaders. Doing so effectively needs interdisciplinary thinking. Discussion after the seminar will focus on means to increase interdisciplinary participation in the Wildland Fire Program here at the University of Idaho.