Bridging the gap between science and action, we convene communities and stakeholders to address the challenges of wildfire. Through trusted partnerships, we create science-based education and outreach programs that address emerging social and ecological needs.

Since its inception in 1997, LWF has created materials for residents that have been shared and applied to fire-prone regions throughout the country. LWF provides resources to homeowners, educators, community groups and firefighting professionals to improve defensible space, ensure homes have proper building materials, manage native and non-native vegetation and prepare for evacuation. Through community outreach events, peer-reviewed publications, social media and television and radio interviews, the LWF team brings the most up-to-date information on wildfire preparedness to Nevada residents and others across the country. LWF is a collaborative effort among federal, state, local firefighting agencies, and resource management agencies. LWF is managed by University of Nevada Reno, Extension, an EEO/AA institution.

Our Team

Image of Christina Restaino

Christina Restaino is the Director of the Living With Fire Program. She is also an Assistant Professor and Natural Resources Specialist with University of Nevada, Reno Extension, serving the state of Nevada, Great Basin, and Sierra Nevada regions. Her emphasis is on wildland fire science, forestry, and natural resource management. Her research has looked at the intersection of land management and forest resilience to fire and drought. She has worked extensively in science outreach and communication, translating ecological principles to resource management and forest and fire policy. Christina’s work has spanned the western United States. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Natural Resource Management at UC Berkeley, her Master’s of Science and Doctorate in Environmental and Forest Sciences from University of Washington, and completed her postdoctoral studies at UC Davis.

headshot of Megan

Megan Kay is the Manager for the Living With Fire Program. She served as a wildland firefighter for five seasons in Carson City, Virginia City and Incline Village before earning her Bachelor of Arts studying fine arts and graphic design. She’s passionate about serving her community. While working as the Associate for the Nevada Arts Council’s Touring Exhibition Program she traveled all over the state of Nevada installing art, getting to know Nevadan’s in every county and building lasting relationships. When she’s not busy helping Nevadan’s learn how to minimize the threat of wildfire in their communities, she’s probably at home with her husband and daughter or playing music and crafting with her friends.

Photo of Spencer Eusden

Spencer Eusden is a Special Projects Manager for the Living With Fire Program working on developing and implementing wildfire science curriculum for northern Nevada high schools. In 2014, he co-founded the science education non-profit Headwaters Science Institute, where he specialized in building educational opportunities to connect students with active scientists and to help teachers meet educational standards through student-led projects. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Environmental Studies from Bowdoin College. While zapping plants with lasers for his thesis, he discovered how much fun conducting original research can make science education and helped establish a novel method for quantifying Xanthophyll pigments. Outside of developing educational programs, Spencer is typically outside on public lands.

Photo of a woman in a green field surorunded by trees

Micaela Truslove is the Community Wildfire Preparedness Coordinator for the Living With Fire Program and has ten years’ experience as an environmental educator working in landscape horticulture and urban and community forestry, including working with post-fire communities to create ignition-resistant landscapes.

She is a former Colorado State University Extension Horticulture Specialist where she worked with residents, green industry professionals, local government partners, and HOAs to implement sustainable landscaping practices, and worked with the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University on water quality and access issues. Micaela has an MS in Forest Sciences and an MA in Sociology, with an emphasis in environmental and natural resource sociology, both from Colorado State University, and a BA in Anthropology from the University of Nevada, Reno.

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