Northwest Nazarene University Receives Over $500K in Wildfire Research Funding

The university's computer science faculty and students are contributing to real-world solutions for wildland fire management.

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Northwest Nazarene University (NNU) in Nampa, Idaho has secured over $500,000 in new funding for wildfire research projects, bringing its total wildfire research support over the past decade to more than $1 million. The latest award comes from the National Science Foundation as part of a $4 million multi-university research project focused on improving the effectiveness of prescribed fires and managed wildfire use. NNU's computer science faculty and students are playing a key role in the effort, providing data science, modeling and computational tools to support wildland fire management training and decision-making.

Why it matters

Wildfires have become more frequent and intense across the western United States, making wildland fire management a critical and complex challenge. NNU's research partnerships and student involvement in this effort reflect the university's commitment to applied research that addresses real-world problems in its local community and region.

The details

The NSF award of over $150,000 over the next three years will fund NNU's participation in the 'Good Fire: Enhance Spatial and Temporal Efficacy of Prescribed Fire and Managed Wildfire Use' project, which includes researchers from Boise State University, the University of New Mexico and the University of Oklahoma. Additionally, NNU has expanded its funding from the U.S. Forest Service for its partnership with the USFS Fuels Academy, which now totals approximately $350,000 over the next two years. Combined, NNU's currently awarded wildfire research funding exceeds $500,000.

  • The latest NSF award will provide funding over the next three years.
  • NNU's expanded funding from the U.S. Forest Service for its USFS Fuels Academy partnership is for the next two years.

The players

Northwest Nazarene University

A Christian university in Nampa, Idaho serving approximately 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students, founded in 1913.

National Science Foundation

An independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.

U.S. Forest Service

An agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that manages public lands in national forests and grasslands.

Dr. Dale Hamilton

Professor of Computer Science at Northwest Nazarene University.

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What they’re saying

“Wildland fire management is one of the most complex and urgent difficulties facing our region. Our students are actively engaged in this research, contributing to real solutions that support the U.S. Forest Service and communities across the West.”

— Dr. Dale Hamilton, Professor of Computer Science

What’s next

The NSF-funded 'Good Fire' project will continue over the next three years, with NNU's computer science faculty and students providing ongoing support for improving the effectiveness of prescribed fires and managed wildfire use.

The takeaway

Northwest Nazarene University's significant investment in wildfire research, including over $500,000 in new funding, demonstrates the university's commitment to addressing critical regional challenges through applied research and hands-on student involvement. This work has the potential to directly benefit communities across the western United States as they grapple with the growing threat of more frequent and intense wildfires.