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Russell A. Parsons, PhD

Russell A. Parsons, PhD

Research Ecologist

Rocky Mountain Research Station

russell.a.parsons@usda.gov

Email

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Education

Treesearch Publications

Sylvia Kantor, Michael A. Battaglia, Wade Tinkham, Kimberley T. Davis, Russell A. Parsons, James Menakis, Chad M. Hoffman, Justin Ziegler. 2026. Restore ponderosa forests - and reduce fire risk? Study shows the path forward
Diego Laino, Carlos Cabo, Celestino Ordóñez, Rodolfo Bolanos, Romain Janvier, Federico Giulioni, Miriam Herrmann, Andrew T. Hudak, Russell A. Parsons, Cristina Santin, Rubãn Manso. 2025. SegmentedForests: A labelled dataset of terrestrial LiDAR point clouds for semantic segmentation of forests
Eugenia Kelly Luciano Batista, Andrew T. Hudak, Jeff W. Atkins, Eben North Broadbent, Kody Melissa Brock, Michael J. Campbell, Nuria Sanchez-Lopez, Monique Bohora Schlickmann, Francisco Mauro, Andres Susaeta, Eric Rowell, Caio Hamamura, Ana Paula Dalla Corte, Inga La Puma, Russell A. Parsons, Benjamin C. Bright, Jason Vogel, Inacio Thomaz Bueno, Gabriel Maximo da Silva, Carine Klaubers, Jinyi Xia, Jessie F. Eastburn, Kleydson Diego Rocha, Carlos Alberto Silva. 2025. Comparing terrestrial and mobile laser scanning approaches for multi-layer fuel load prediction in the Western United States
Zachary Holden, Alan K. Swanson, Mojtaba Sadegh, Charlie H. Luce, Erin Noonan-Wright, Russell A. Parsons. 2025. Soil moisture is a stronger predictor of forest fire spread potential than weather in the U.S. Northern Rocky Mountains
Justin Paul Ziegler, Chad M. Hoffman, Wade Tinkham, Russell A. Parsons, Michael A. Battaglia, James Menakis. 2025. Impact of thinning strategy, surface fuel loading and burning conditions on fuel treatment efficacy in ponderosa pine dominated forests of the southern Rocky Mountains
Charles J. Abolt, Javier E. Santos, Adam L. Atchley, Lucas Wells, Daithi Martin, Russell A. Parsons, Rodman R. Linn. 2025. Deep-learning-based canopy height model generation from sub-meter resolution panchromatic satellite imagery
Anthony Marcozzi, Lucas Wells, Russell A. Parsons, Eric Mueller, Rodman Linn, J. Kevin Hiers. 2025. FastFuels: Advancing wildland fire modeling with high-resolution 3D fuel data and data assimilation
J. A. Blanco, M. Pardas, J. R. Casas, R. Paugam, A. Agueda, J. Wagner, Russell A. Parsons, E. Planas. 2024. Estimation of 3D shape and volume of fire plumes from multiple views
Christopher J. Moran, Carl A. Seielstad, Russell A. Parsons, Valentijn Hoff, Luis A. Ruiz, Jesus Torralba, Javier Estornell, Juan Pedro Carbonell-Rivera. 2024. Relationships of fire rate of spread with spectral and geometric features derived from UAV-based photogrammetric point clouds
Mary Murphy, E. Louise Loudermilk, Scott Pokswinski, Brett Williams, Emily Link, Laila Lienesch, Leta Douglas, Nicholas Skowronski, Michael R. Gallagher, Aaron Maxwell, Grant Snitker, Christie Hawley, Derek Wallace, Irenee Payne, Tim Yurkiewicz, Andrew .J. Sanchez Meador, Chad Anderson, J. Mark Jackson, Russell A. Parsons, Melissa Floca, Isaac Nealey, Ilkay Altintas, J. Kevin Hiers, Jon Wallace. 2024. Terrestrial 3D Laser Scanning for Ecosystem and Fire Effects Monitoring
Jenna S. McDanold, Rodman R. Linn, Alex K. Jonko, Adam L. Atchley, Scott Goodrick, J. Kevin Hiers, Chad M. Hoffman, E. Louise Loudermilk, Joseph J. O'Brien, Russell A. Parsons, Carolyn H. Sieg, Julia A. Oliveto. 2023. DUET - Distribution of Understory using Elliptical Transport: A mechanistic model of leaf litter and herbaceous spatial distribution based on tree canopy structure
Alexandra K. Jonko, Rodman R. Linn, Ilkay Altintas, Adam L. Atchley, L. Turin Dickman, Andreas Bar, Adam D. Collins, Jean-Luc Dupuy, Michael R. Gallagher, J. Kevin Hiers, Chad M. Hoffman, Sharon M. Hood, Matthew D. Hurteau, W. Matt Jolly, Alexander Josephson, E. Louise Loudermilk, Wu Ma, Sean T. Michaletz, Rachael H. Nolan, Joseph J. O’Brien, Russell A. Parsons, Raquel Partelli-Feltrin, Francois Pimont, Vıctor Resco de Dios, Joseph Restaino, Zachary J. Robbins, Karla A. Sartor, Emily Schultz-Fellenz, Shawn P. Serbin, Sanna Sevanto, Jacquelyn K. Shuman, Carolyn H. Sieg, Nicholas Skowronski, David R. Weise, Molly Wright, Chonggang Xu, Marta Yebra, Nicolas Younes. 2023. Integrating plant physiology into simulation of fire behavior and effects
Julien Ruffault, Jean-Marc Limousin, Francois Pimont, Jean-Luc Dupuy, Miquel De Caceres, Herve Cochard, Florent Mouillot, Chris J. Blackman, Jose M. Torres-Ruiz, Russell A. Parsons, Myriam Moreno, Sylvain Delzon, Steven Jansen, Albert Olioso, Brendan Choat, Nicolas Martin-StPaul. 2022. Plant hydraulic modelling of leaf and canopy fuel moisture content reveals increasing vulnerability of a Mediterranean forest to wildfires under extreme drought
Lingling Guo, Shun Li, Zhiwei Wu, Russell A. Parsons, Shitao Lin, Bo Wu, Long Sun. 2022. Assessing spatial patterns and drivers of burn severity in subtropical forests in Southern China based on Landsat 8
Christopher J. Moran, Valentijn Hoff, Russell A. Parsons, Lloyd P. Queen, Carl A. Seielstad. 2022. Mapping fine-scale crown scorch in 3D with remotely piloted aircraft systems
Sophie R. Bonner, Chad M. Hoffman, Jeffrey M. Kane, J. Morgan Varner, J. Kevin Hiers, Joseph J. O'Brien, Heather D. Rickard, Wade Tinkham, Rodman R. Linn, Nicholas Skowronski, Russell A. Parsons, Carolyn H. Sieg. 2021. Invigorating prescribed fire science through improved reporting practices
Scott L. Stephens, Michael A. Battaglia, Derek J. Churchill, Brandon M. Collins, Michelle Coppoletta, Chad M. Hoffman, Jamie Lydersen, Malcolm P. North, Russell A. Parsons, Scott Ritter, Jens Stevens. 2021. Forest restoration and fuels reduction: Convergent or divergent?
Craig Bienz, Russell A. Parsons, Nancy E. Grulke, Katie Sauerbrey. 2020. Sharing the road: Managers and scientists transforming fire management
Zhiwei Wu, Hong S. He, Lei Fang, Yu Liang, Russell A. Parsons. 2018. Wind speed and relative humidity influence spatial patterns of burn severity in boreal forests of northeastern China
Russell A. Parsons, Francois Pimont, Lucas Wells, Greg M. Cohn, W. Matt Jolly, Francois de Coligny, Eric Rigolot, Jean-Luc Dupuy, William E. Mell, Rodman R. Linn. 2018. Modeling thinning effects on fire behavior with STANDFIRE
Chad M. Hoffman, Carolyn H. Sieg, Rodman R. Linn, William E. Mell, Russell A. Parsons, Justin P. Ziegler, J. Kevin. Hiers. 2018. Advancing the science of wildland fire dynamics using process-based models
Zachary A. Holden, Alan Swanson, Charlie H. Luce, W. Matt Jolly, Marco Maneta, Jared W. Oyler, Dyer A. Warren, Russell A. Parsons, David Affleck. 2018. Decreasing fire season precipitation increased recent western US forest wildfire activity
W. Matt Jolly, John Hintz, Rodman L. Linn, Rachael C. Kropp, Elliot T. Conrad, Russell A. Parsons, Judith Winterkamp. 2016. Seasonal variations in red pine (Pinus resinosa) and jack pine (Pinus banksiana) foliar physio-chemistry and their potential influence on stand-scale wildland fire behavior
Francois Pimont, Russell A. Parsons, Eric Rigolot, Francois de Coligny, Jean-Luc Dupuy, Philippe Dreyfus, Rodman R. Linn. 2016. Modeling fuels and fire effects in 3D: Model description and applications
Paul A. Werth, Brian Potter, Martin E. Alexander, Craig B. Clements, Miguel G. Cruz, Mark A. Finney, Jason M. Forthofer, Scott Goodrick, Chad Hoffman, W. Matt Jolly, Sara S. McAllister, Roger D. Ottmar, Russell A. Parsons. 2016. Synthesis of knowledge of extreme fire behavior: volume 2 for fire behavior specialists, researchers, and meteorologists
Birgit Peterson, Kurtis J. Nelson, Carl Seielstad, Jason Stoker, W. Matt Jolly, Russell A. Parsons. 2015. Automated integration of lidar into the LANDFIRE product suite
Geoffrey J. Cary, Robert E. Keane, Mike D. Flannigan, Ian D. Davies, Russell A. Parsons. 2015. What determines area burned in large landscapes? Insights from a decade of comparative landscape-fire modelling
Bret W. Butler, Russell A. Parsons, William Mell. 2015. Recent findings relating to firefighter safety zones
Robert E. Keane, W. Matt Jolly, Russell A. Parsons, Karin Riley. 2015. Proceedings of the large wildland fires conference; May 19-23, 2014; Missoula, MT
Chad M. Hoffman, Rodman Linn, Russell A. Parsons, Carolyn H. Sieg, Judith Winterkamp. 2015. Modeling spatial and temporal dynamics of wind flow and potential fire behavior following a mountain pine beetle outbreak in a lodgepole pine forest
Aquila Flower, Daniel G. Gavin, Emily K. Heyerdahl, Russell A. Parsons, Greg M. Cohn. 2014. Western spruce budworm outbreaks did not increase fire risk over the last three centuries: A dendrochronological analysis of inter-disturbance synergism
A. Flower, D. G. Gavin, Emily K. Heyerdahl, Russell A. Parsons, G. M. Cohn. 2014. Drought-triggered western spruce budworm outbreaks in the Interior Pacific Northwest: A multi-century dendrochronological record
Gregory M. Cohn, Russell A. Parsons, Emily K. Heyerdahl, Daniel G. Gavin, Aquila Flower. 2014. Simulated western spruce budworm defoliation reduces torching and crowning potential: A sensitivity analysis using a physics-based fire model
Russell A. Parsons, W. Matt Jolly, Paul Langowski, Megan S. Matonis, Sue Miller. 2014. Post-epidemic fire risk and behavior [Chapter 3]
LaWen Hollingsworth, Russell A. Parsons. 2013. Wildfire risk to structures: Island Park Sustainable Fire Community
Chad M. Hoffman, Carolyn H. Sieg, Penelope Morgan, William E. Mell, Rodman Linn, Camille Stevens-Rumann, Joel McMillin, Russell A. Parsons, Helen Maffei. 2013. Progress in understanding bark beetle effects on fire behavior using physics-based models
Robert E. Keane, Geoffrey J. Cary, Mike D. Flannigan, Russell A. Parsons, Ian D. Davies, Karen J. King, Chao Li, Ross A. Bradstock, Malcolm Gill. 2013. Exploring the role of fire, succession, climate, and weather on landscape dynamics using comparative modeling
Chad M. Hoffman, Penelope Morgan, William E. Mell, Russell A. Parsons, Eva Strand, Steve Cook. 2013. Surface fire intensity influences simulated crown fire behavior in lodgepole pine forests with recent mountain pine beetle-caused tree mortality
Russell A. Parsons, J. Morgan Varner, Bret W. Butler, Kevin C. Ryan, Corey Gucker, W. Matt Jolly. 2012. Do mountain pine beetle outbreaks change the probability of active crown fire in lodgepole pine forests?
Chris Toney, Birgit Peterson, Don G. Long, Russell A. Parsons, Greg M. Cohn. 2012. Development and applications of the LANDFIRE forest structure layers
Russell A. Parsons, Marco A. Contreras, Woodam Chung. 2012. Modeling tree-level fuel connectivity to evaluate the effectiveness of thinning treatments for reducing crown fire potential
W. Matt Jolly, Russell A. Parsons, Ann M. Hadlow, Greg M. Cohn, Sara S. McAllister, John B. Popp, Robert M. Hubbard, Jose Negron. 2012. Relationships between moisture, chemistry, and ignition of Pinus contorta needles during the early stages of mountain pine beetle attack
Russell A. Parsons, William E. Mell, Peter McCauley. 2011. Linking 3D spatial models of fuels and fire: Effects of spatial heterogeneity on fire behavior
Robert E. Keane, Lisa M. Holsinger, Russell A. Parsons. 2011. Evaluating indices that measure departure of current landscape composition from historical conditions
Chad Hoffman, Russell A. Parsons, Penny Morgan, William E. Mell. 2010. Numerical simulation of crown fire hazard following bark beetle-caused mortality in lodgepole pine forests
Russell A. Parsons, Jeremy Sauer, Rodman R. Linn. 2010. Crown fuel spatial variability and predictability of fire spread
Russell A. Parsons, William E. Mell, Peter McCauley. 2010. Modeling the spatial distribution of forest crown biomass and effects on fire behavior with FUEL3D and WFDS
Robert E. Keane, Russell A. Parsons. 2010. Restoring whitebark pine forests of the northern Rocky Mountains, USA
Robert E. Keane, Russell A. Parsons. 2010. Management guide to ecosystem restoration treatments: Whitebark pine forests of the northern Rocky Mountains, U.S.A.
Geoffrey J. Cary, Mike D. Flannigan, Robert E. Keane, Ross A. Bradstock, Ian D. Davies, James Lenihan, Chao Li, Kimberley A. Logan, Russell A. Parsons. 2009. Relative importance of fuel management, ignition management and weather for area burned: Evidence from five landscape-fire-succession models
Robert E. Keane, Lisa M. Holsinger, Russell A. Parsons, Kathy Gray. 2008. Climate change effects on historical range and variability of two large landscapes in western Montana, USA
Russell A. Parsons, Emily K. Heyerdahl, Robert E. Keane, Brigitte Dorner, Joseph Fall. 2007. Assessing accuracy of point fire intervals across landscapes with simulation modelling
Abran Steele-Feldman, Elizabeth Reinhardt, Russell A. Parsons. 2006. Accuracy and precision of two indirect methods for estimating canopy fuels
Russell A. Parsons. 2006. FUEL3-D: A Spatially Explicit Fractal Fuel Distribution Model
Lisa M. Holsinger, Robert E. Keane, Russell A. Parsons, Eva C. Karau. 2006. Chapter 5 - Development of biophysical gradient layers for the LANDFIRE Prototype Project
Emily K. Heyerdahl, Richard F. Miller, Russell A. Parsons. 2006. History of fire and Douglas-fir establishment in a savanna and sagebrush-grassland mosaic, southwestern Montana, USA
Robert E. Keane, Russell A. Parsons, Paul F. Hessburg. 2002. Estimating historical range and variation of landscape patch dynamics: limitations of the simulation approach
Robert E. Keane, Matthew G. Rollins, Cecilia H. McNicoll, Russell A. Parsons. 2002. Integrating ecosystem sampling, gradient modeling, remote sensing, and ecosystem simulation to create spatially explicit landscape inventories

Data and Tools

University of Montana, Ph.D., Forestry, 2007
University of Idaho, Moscow, M.S., Forest Resources, 1999
University of California, Berkeley, B.S., Forestry, 1992

Last updated June 8, 2026

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