Presenter: Molly Hunter – Northern Arizona University Fire suppression has been the dominant fire management strategy in the West over the last century. However, managers in the Gila National Forest and Saguaro National Park have allowed fire to play a more natural role for decades. In a newly published report, we summarize the effects of …
Panelists: Pete Fulé – Northern Arizona University, Collin Haffey – USGS Jemez Field Station, José Iniguez and Suzanne Owen – USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station, Jim Youtz – USFS Southwestern Region, Joy Mast – Carthage College The Southwest Fire Science Consortium is hosting a panel discussion on regeneration of pine forests after high severity wildfires. …
Presenter: Kit O’Connor, University of Arizona In the Pinaleño Mountains of Southeast Arizona, a series of high-severity insect outbreaks and fires in recent decades appear to be unprecedented in the historical record. These disturbances raise concerns about forest resilience and long-term sustainability of one of the most ecologically diverse landscapes in the southwest. We used …
This working paper summarizes how climate change influences presence of bark beetles, how this impacts drought-stressed trees, and the role fires play when drought and beetles occur. Working Paper 31, June 2014 by Monica Gaylord
Fostering resilience in Southwestern ecosystems: A problem solving workshop Ecosystems and fire regimes are moving into new domains as a consequence of climate change, disturbance, and other causes. Fire professionals and land managers in the region are confronted with new fire regimes, fire effects, and ecosystem recovery trajectories following disturbance. To help fire and ecosystem …
Presenter: David Augustine, USDA-ARS Landscape Ecologist In this webinar, we will discuss research on the role and use of prescribed fire in the western Great Plains, focusing on studies conducted in the shortgrass steppe of Colorado over the past decade. We will discuss the fuel loads and weather conditions under which prescribed burning has been …
Read more “November 25, 2013: The Role of Fire in Shortgrass Rangelands”
Presenter: Tessa Nicolet, USFS Region 3 Fire Ecologist The southwestern United States encompasses many ecosystems with intimate and inseparable relationships with fire. It is well accepted that fire plays an integral role in the ecology and maintenance of many forest and grassland types in the southwest. Fire on these landscapes not only shapes how those …
There are several ways to evaluate fuel treatment effectiveness: observations, case studies, mathematical models, and empirical studies. Within these four categories, there are several methods that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of fuel treatments both immediately after treatment and over time. This paper summarizes the goals, effects, and advantages of various treatment actions; …
This working paper covers three topics to guide treatments in mixed-conifer forests of the Southwest: 1) describes the current knowledge of mixed-conifer historical reference conditions for fire regimes, stand structure, and species composition in the Southwest (Arizona, New Mexico and adjacent areas); 2) provides field diagnostics to assess reference conditions; and 3) offers land managers …
Read more “SW Mixed Conifer Forests: Evaluating Reference Conditions to Guide Fuel Treatments”
Vast stands of ponderosa pine stretch across the Gila National Forest, a testament to the role of fire in this corner of the Southwest. For decades, fire managers on the Gila have been reintroducing fire back on to the landscape. This video introduces some of the people behind the story of fire on the Gila National Forest.
Click here for accompanying “The Fire Laboratory” write up containing more detail.
