Spatially explicit quantification of heterogeneous fire effects over long time series: Patterns from two forest types in the northern U.S. Rockies

Abstract

Within the last decade, mixed-severity fire regimes (MSFRs) have gained increasing attention in both the scientific and management communities (Arno and others 2000, Baker and others 2007, Hessburg and others 2007, Perry and others 2011, Halofsky and others 2011, Stine and others 2014). The growing influence of the MSFR model derives from several factors including: (1) recent recognition of the wide geographic breadth of mixed severity fire regimes within western North America and elsewhere, (2) a lack of basic ecological data that spans sufficient temporal and spatial scales to sufficiently describe MSFRs for many regions, (3) debate about the appropriateness of using low- and high-severity fire regime models for MSFRs and (4) uncertainty regarding the implications of the MSFR model for describing ecosystem dynamics, predicting ecosystem responses to climate change and past management, designing ecological restoration treatments, and implementing future forest management and policy.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the large wildland fires conference; May 19-23, 2014; Missoula, MT

Citation

Naficy, C. E.; Veblen, T. T.; Hessburg, P. F. 2015. Spatially explicit quantification of heterogeneous fire effects over long time series: Patterns from two forest types in the northern U.S. Rockies. In: Keane, Robert E.; Jolly, Matt; Parsons, Russell; Riley, Karin. Proceedings of the large wildland fires conference; May 19-23, 2014; Missoula, MT. Proc. RMRS-P-73. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. p. 168-173.