ENVIRONMENT -- "Era of Megafires: The Wildfire Project,"  an hour-long, multi-media, traveling presentation that confronts the trend of huge wildfires, will be in Spokane on Thursday sponsored by The Lands Council and Vaagen Bros. timber company.

The educational program is set for 6:30 p.m. at the Bing Crosby Theater. Advance seat reservations are required.

Paul Hessburg of the Pacific Northwest Research Station and the University of Washington, will host the fast-paced show. Hessburg has been involved in fire and landscape ecology research for 27 years.

"Megafires, wildfires over 100,000 acres, and the destruction caused by them is a serious and growing issue to our region," says a media release from The Lands Council. "Our communities, homes, businesses and our very way of life are threatened. If we are going to make effective progress towards increasing fire resiliency, we must increase awareness and stimulate conversation about this important issue across all levels of society."

The program involves short talks and images by wildfire photographer John Marshall interspersed with video vignettes created by award-winning documentary film company North 40 Productions of Wenatchee.

Reserve a seat for a fee through TicketsWest or pick up a free ticket at The Lands Council, 25 W. Main Avenue.