Download (PDF 10.87 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/68817.pdf
Abstract
Wildland fire is an important natural component of many forest ecosystems that are characterized by specific combinations of fire frequency, severity, and seasonality (Greenberg and Collins 2021). It is a widespread disturbance agent in many U.S. forest ecosystems, causing widespread tree damage and mortality and impacting forest health both positively and negatively (Agee 1998, Thom and Seidl 2016, Wade and others 2000). In some ecosystems, wildland fire has been essential for regulating processes that maintain forest health (Lundquist and others 2011). For example, it is an important ecological mechanism that shapes the distributions of species, maintains the structure and function of fire-prone communities, and acts as a significant evolutionary force (Bond and Keeley 2005, Pausas and Keeley 2019). Additionally, some forest types and tree species are adapted to fire under certain intensities and return intervals (Hanberry and others 2018, Jeronimo and others 2019).
Parent Publication
Citation
Potter, K.M. 2024. Broad-scale patterns of forest fire occurrence across the United States and the Caribbean territories, 2022. In: Pandit, K.; Conkling, B.L., eds. Forest Health Monitoring: national status, trends, and analysis 2023. Gen. Tech. Rep. WO-105. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: 57–85. Chapter 3. https://doi.org/10.2737/WO-GTR-105-Chap3.
