Articles

It is often assumed that the thinning effects of fire mean that surviving trees grow more and have more water available to them. However, fire may also come with costs. Trees that survive fire, but sustain fire-caused injuries, may experience a temporary period of reduced growth and greater vulnerability to drought before they are able to take advantage of the effects of stand density reduction (such as less competition for water). This window of vulnerability is due to negative effects from fire-caused injuries like crown scorch, with more severe injuries likely having a stronger negative impact.

We often hear about the need to expand the pace and scale of hazardous fuel treatments that can reduce wildfire risk. Prescribed burning is one of the most important management tools for getting that work done. By looking at records of past burns and their associated weather conditions in northern California, our team gained a better understanding of what constitutes a suitable burn window, and we identified areas and times of year most favorable for prescribed burning.

Survival of western larch seedlings planted after a wildfire was driven mostly by site conditions—hot, dry, southwest‑facing locations had far higher mortality regardless of seed source. Seedlings from low‑elevation seed sources handled heat better, but the biggest determinant of success was simply planting in cooler, moister microsites.

A new study published in Nature Communications by researchers at the Forest Products Laboratory and the Southern Research Station, and their collaborators, tested several global forest conservation scenarios and evaluated how these scenarios affected harvestable area, roundwood production, and prices within the global forestry sector. These new results challenge previous findings and suggest that increased forest protection could, for most countries, result in a net economic gain.

This collection of research leverages a comprehensive dataset of wildfires spanning recent decades to examine patterns of and trends in ignitions across the western United States. Human-caused ignitions account for over 60% of all recorded wildfires across the western US and are responsible for the vast majority of wildfire-related societal impacts, underscoring the value of effective wildfire prevention and risk-mitigation strategies.

Managers need good maps to make good decisions, particularly at the project level, where fine details matter. FastFuels is a data-on-demand mapping platform that leverages multiple data sources to provide high fidelity forest and fuel data for a typical user-specified area within minutes. 3D data can be used with next generation fire models, supporting forest management, fuel treatment planning, prescribed fire planning, and risk assessment and mitigation efforts.

Scientists are looking at the link between environmental conditions, wildlife, and animal-borne pathogens to predict how natural and human-caused changes may influence disease. A new framework explores the dynamics of these diseases over large spatial and temporal scales.

Wildflowers offer a diverse array of nutrients from pollen and nectar which are important for wild pollinator communities. A new study shows that different wild bee species have a range of nutritional needs, requiring nutritionally diverse plant communities to better support them.

A new online modeling tool for predicting impacts of introduced species using the case study of preying mantid invasions in western Montana grasslands is available.

A new project examines various combinations of fuel reduction treatment activities across the elevational gradient of forest types along the Front Range of the southern Rocky Mountains to understand how burn severity is altered when challenged with wildfire.

Terrain-induced wake vortices can generate tornado-scale fire whirls. The Deer Creek Fire provided a natural laboratory for understanding fire-generated tornadic vortices and their relationship to deep convection. This event involved ingestion of ambient vertical vorticity from a terrain-generated mountain wake. The observed sequence—shedding of von Kármán wake vortices, fire intensificatio...

The FireWorks curriculum has become an essential resource for educators because it makes fire science accessible, relatable, and fun. Thousands of students use the program each year, gaining a clearer understanding of wildfire and its role in the environment—knowledge that is increasingly important as many communities experience more fire.

Where can managers maximize restoration work for High-Five pine species? Using 30 years of field data and current knowledge of blister rust, new models developed by Forest Service scientists identify areas likely to be at risk and help prioritize areas for restoration and maintenance of healthy populations.

Forest managers have continued challenges with exotic plant species following timber harvest. A new project looks at understory responses for seven years post-timber harvest across ten timber sales on the Black Hills National Forest.

Researchers are working to get ahead of smooth brome invasion and determine management options for both the public and private land managers.

Educational materials and demonstrations by smaller NGOs may help landowners consider the benefits of prescribed fire on or near the Dakota Prairie Grassland.

Fire-managed forests of the past provide an alternative option for management.

Ongoing work with the belowground plant community is improving our insights into ecological theory to provide managers with a more comprehensive picture of nutrient acquisition and storage from a whole-plant perspective.

What can ranch managers expect in terms of forage quality after prescribed fire in the Great Plains? Initial findings from a new comprehensive study in the mixed grass prairie detail how adaptive management can help.

Producers are dealing with swings in forage availability for their livestock. A new resource called the South Dakota Drought Tool supports increased efficiency in herd production.