Dr. Ronald H. Wakimoto, Professor Emeritus of Forest Fire Science, at the University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, U.S.A. is training the 9^th batch conservation, environment and forestry studies certificate trainees on Forest fire behavior and fire fighter from 26^th February to 1^st March 2018 at Ugyen Wangchuck Institute for Conservation and Environmental Research, LamaiGoempa, Bumthang.

In 2006 Dr. Wakimoto taught a short-course on fire ecology and prescribed burning in Mongar and burned at Dramitse.  In 2008 he returned to Bhutan to help run a workshop on disaster preparedness and fire management strategy development in Thimphu.  He returned again in 2010 to help teach a fire suppression training-of-trainers course in Thimphu. In 2011 he resigned as Department Chair and returned to Bumthang taking a 5-month sabbatical leave from the University, conducting fire training at UWICE and more training sessions in Thimphu for foresters and volunteers. In 2014 Dr. Wakimoto returned to conduct basic fire training for De-Suup from Paro and Thimphu. In 2014 he received the Biswell Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Fire Ecology. In 2015 he received the University of Montana Presidential Faculty Award. In 2016 he was given the “Pioneer in Forestry” Award by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. He is currently in Bhutan lighting prescribed fires and conducting fire training until late March 2018.