Fire History of a Ridge and Valley Oak Forest

Thomas M. Schuler; W. Russ McClain

doi:10.2737/NE-RP-724

Treesearch

Fire History of a Ridge and Valley Oak Forest

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Thomas M. Schuler, W. Russ McClain

Year:

2003

Type:

Research Paper

Station:

Northern Research Station

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2737/NE-RP-724

Source:

Res. Pap. NE-724. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 9 p.

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Abstract

The fire history of an oak stand located near Pike Knob, Pendleton County, WV is described. A 156-year fire history chronology was developed from 1846 to 2002 and fire intervals ranged from 7 to 32 years for a single forest stand. The Weibull median fire interval was 14.76 years for one or more trees scarred during a single year, and 17.11 years when at least two trees were scarred during a single year. Oak recruitment ceased after 1937, during an unusually long fire-free interval, offering indirect support of the important role of fire in perpetuating oak forests of the region.

Keywords

northern red oak, fire history, fire interval, Palmer Drought Severity Index

Citation

Schuler, Thomas M.; McClain, W. Russ. 2003. Fire History of a Ridge and Valley Oak Forest. Res. Pap. NE-724. Newtown Square, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Northeastern Research Station. 9 p.