Fuel dynamics after reintroduced fire in an old-growth Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest

Abstract

cSurface fuel loadings are some of the most important factors contributing to fire intensity and fire spread. In old-growth forests where fire has been long excluded, surface fuel loadings can be high and can include woody debris ≥100 cm in diameter. We assessed surface fuel loadings in a long-unburned old-growth mixed-conifer forest in Yosemite National Park, California, USA, and assessed fuel consumption from a management-ignited fire set to control the progression of the 2013 Rim Fire. Specifically, we characterized the distribution and heterogeneity of pre-fire fuel loadings, both along transects and contained in duff mounds around large trees. We compared surface fuel consumption to that predicted by the standard First Order Fire Effects Model (FOFEM) based on pre-fire fuel loadings and fuel moistures. We also assessed the relationship between tree basal area - calculated for two different spatial neighborhood scales - and pre-fire fuel loadings.

Citation

Cansler, C. Alina; Swanson, Mark E.; Furniss, Tucker J.; Larson, Andrew J.; Lutz, James A. 2019. Fuel dynamics after reintroduced fire in an old-growth Sierra Nevada mixed-conifer forest. Fire Ecology. 15: 16.