The Fire Effects Information System (FEIS) is an online collection of syntheses of information from the scientific literature about fire effects on plants and animals and about fire regimes of plant communities in the United States. FEIS syntheses are based on literature that is acquired from thorough searches of research citation databases and housed in the Fire Effects Library.

FEIS was established in the late 1980s and has continuously evolved. The latest evolution is the transition to this website beginning in 2025. During this transition, photos were added and some syntheses were reformatted. Otherwise, the content remains the same as it was on the previous web platform.

Syntheses of Information from Scientific Literature

Managers need scientifically sound, up-to-date information for fire management decisions, land use planning, restoration and rehabilitation planning, wildlife and range projects, and related environmental assessments. FEIS facilitates the use of research findings as a basis for sound management by providing syntheses that are efficient to use and thoroughly documented. Land managers recommend species to include in FEIS.

There are three types of FEIS publications: Species Reviews, Fire Regimes, and Fire Studies.

Species Reviews

Species Reviews include information on individual species’ life history, ecology, and relationship to fire. They are available for nearly 1,100 plants (including nearly 150 nonnative invasive species), more than 130 animals, and several lichen species that occur in the United States. Topics covered in each Species Review depend on the species covered but include the following:

• Distribution and habitat requirements
• Biological characteristics and regeneration processes
• Successional status within plant communities
• Fire ecology and management
• Nonfire management considerations

Fire Regimes

Information about fire regimes of plant communities in the United States is presented in two publication types: Fire Regime Reports and Fire Regime Syntheses. Biophysical Settings models and associated Fire Regime Data Products developed by LANDFIRE are used to define fire regime groups based on similarities in vegetation, modeled fire-return intervals, and geographic locations. About 180 fire regime publications based on these groups cover most plant communities in the United States.

Fire Regime Reports include data from LANDFIRE Biophysical Settings models on historical fire frequency, severity, and distribution. Fire Regime Syntheses provide this information in addition to a thoroughly researched, well-documented, peer-reviewed synthesis of information from scientific literature about the following topics:

• Distribution, site characteristics, and plant community composition of component Biophysical Settings
• Historical fuel characteristics
• Historical fire regime characteristics including ignition sources, fire frequency, fire severity patterns, and fire seasonality
• Contemporary fuel and fire regime characteristics

Fire Studies

Fire Studies are summaries of one or more fire research publications or results of fire management efforts at a specific location that provide detailed descriptions of burning conditions, fire behavior, and fire effects. Fire Studies complement Species Reviews and provide information on hundreds of species for which a review is not available. Types of Fire Studies in FEIS include:

• Research Project Summaries describe results from a research project and provide fire effects information on many species.
• Management Project Summaries describe results from fire management efforts and provide information on many species.
• Fire Case Studies describe fire effects on only one species and are embedded within FEIS Species Reviews.
• Research Papers are publications in the public domain that provide fire effects information, usually on many species.