THE ASSOCIATION FOR FIRE ECOLOGY (AFE) AND THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WILDLAND FIRE WILL JOINTLY ORGANIZE AND HOST THE FIRE CONTINUUM CONFERENCE: PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE OF WILDLAND FIRE (FIRE CONTINUUM CONFERENCE). THIS EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE IN MISSOULA, MONTANA FROM MAY 21 TO 24, 2018. THE EVENT IS BEING PLANNED IN COORDINATION WITH OTHER FEDERAL LAND MANAGEMENT AGENCIES, UNIVERSITIES, AND NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE FIRE CONTINUUM CONFERENCE WILL BRING HUNDREDS OF SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS, MANAGERS, EDUCATORS, AND STUDENTS FROM EVERY REGION OF THE U.S AS WELL AS CANADA, MEXICO, EUROPE AND AUSTRALIA. IT WILL BE THE LARGEST FIRE SCIENCE CONFERENCE IN THE U.S. THIS YEAR. THE FIRE CONTINUUM CONFERENCE IS BROAD IN SCOPE AND FACILITATES INTERDISCIPLINARY COOPERATION AND COLLABORATION IN LAND AND FIRE MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH AT LOCAL, REGIONAL, NATIONAL, AND INTERNATIONAL SCALES. THERE IS ALSO A STRONG EMPHASIS ON THE FUTURE IN ITS THEME FOR ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS AS WELL AS WITH THE INTEGRATION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS AS CONFERENCE CO-ORGANIZERS, PRESENTERS, HOSTS, AND ATTENDEES, ALONG WITH NUMEROUS SPECIAL EVENTS DESIGNED TO FOSTER NETWORKING AMONG PROFESSIONALS AND THE STUDENTS WHO WILL BECOME THE SCIENTISTS OF THE FUTURE. A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF CONFERENCE PRESENTERS AND WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS WILL BE USING DATA GENERATED BY VARIOUS NASA RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS AND PROGRAMS. THE FIRE CONTINUUM CONFERENCE PROVIDES AN EXCELLENT OPPORTUNITY FOR NASA TO INCREASE AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR THE SIGNIFICANT ROLE NASA PLAYS IN FACILITATING SCIENCE-BASED WILDLAND FIRE RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT. AS WELL, NASA SCIENTISTS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO: GAIN A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF THE APPLICATIONS OF NASA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; DISCOVER CRITICAL GAPS THAT REMAIN IN KNOWLEDGE OF WILDLAND FIRE AND ITS ROLE ACROSS DIVERSE SCIENTIFIC FIELDS IN THE EARTH SCIENCES; AND LEARN ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENHANCED COLLABORATION BETWEEN NASA AND THE INTERNATIONAL WILDLAND FIRE COMMUNITY. THE FIRE CONTINUUM CONFERENCE ADDRESSES SEVERAL GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ALIGNED WITH NASA'S STRATEGIC PLAN, SCIENCE PLAN, STEM EDUCATION PLAN, AND NASA PROGRAMS IN EARTH SCIENCE RESEARCH AND APPLIED SCIENCE. AFE AND IAWF ARE SEEKING A GRANT OF $40,000 TO SUPPORT AUDIO VISUAL/EQUIPMENT RENTAL, LABOR COSTS, MEETING ROOM RENTAL AND TRAVEL FOR NASA RESEARCHERS REQUIRED TO FACILITATE THIS UNIQUELY IMPACTFUL EXCHANGE OF SCIENCE, TOOLS, AND TECHNOLOGY.